Use of telemedicine among physicians pre- and post-COVID-19 in Italy 2020

During the COVID-19 emergency in Italy, many patients in need of care and consulting could not easily access health services. For this reason, the interest in telemedicine to treat patients increased among physicians. According to a survey conducted in June 2020 among medical specialists in Italy, ten percent of respondents reported that they used telemedicine to conduct examinations before the COVID-19 emergency. However, the share of physicians interested in carrying out tele-examinations in the future reached 34 percent. The interest in telemedicine for the future appeared to be generally high, especially when it involves consulting other colleagues and physicians, or monitoring patients' health status.

Telemedicine according to GPs

General Practitioners (GPs) shared the same interest in telemedicine. According to the results of the same survey, 11 percent of GPs reported that they used telemedicine to conduct examinations before the COVID-19 emergency. While the share of GPs that would be interested in carrying out tele-examinations in the future reached 54 percent.

COVID-19 effect on telemedicine

The coronavirus emergency could potentially trigger a change in the attitude towards telemedicine, both among the public and among physicians. In general, the lockdown revealed the need to increase the use of digital tools to communicate with patients, both for GPs and medical specialists. The crisis also facilitated the growing acceptance of the fact that for some examinations and/or consultations an in-person appointment between patient and doctor is not always necessary. This opinion was again shared by both GPs and medical specialists.