The Telemedicine Experience for Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease

Introduction

Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) require regular, and specialized treatment to manage their health. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in person medical visits for all individuals, with a rapid transition to telemedicine to provide medical care. Emerging data shows that the use of telemedicine may provide easier access to care and remove barriers to clinic attendance and improve access to appropriate medical care.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to understand the patients' experiences with telemedicine, identify patient preferences for type of appointment, and possible suggestions to improve telemedicine care.

Methods

Patients from the Johns Hopkins Sickle Cell Center for Adults who had at least one telemedicine visit were invited to participate in a semi structured interview via zoom meeting or telephone. The interview asked participants about their satisfaction with telemedicine care, barriers to telemedicine, benefits and risks of telemedicine and possible telemedicine improvements. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded by two independent raters using thematic analyses to understand the experiences of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Overall, 30 adults with SCD who had at least one telemedicine visit were invited to participate and completed their interview (mean age 41 years ± xx, 67% female, 93% Black/African American, 3% Multi-Race, 3% Other). "...I can't ignore the convenience of not having to worry about transportation ... that there's nothing to stop me from getting there." During a SCD pain crisis it can it challenging to move and receive treatment as one participant reported "Maybe sometimes I might have pain...then moving around makes it difficult. So, getting in the car and finding somebody to drive you to a hospital or to whatever clinic would be difficult". Being able to access specialized SCD care even while in pain is important. Having the option of either having telemedicine or in person visits was important to SCD patients "I could treat my crisis here at home. I don't have to go to the emergency room for it. So, if I can see my doctor in the tele-visit appointment and it's going to be constantly every day ... And when it's getting worse, then I could go to the emergency room more if needed. If it's not needed, I don't even need to go". Another emerging theme amongst participants was despite the benefits from telemedicine, they also wanted to continue having in-person visits when they needed. SCD participants felt due to their SCD they still needed to see their doctor in person but it did not have to be for every visit "Well, I think telemedicine, for me, can be used in a setting where there's no such an emergency. Like if I'm having a routine exam, I don't mind having the telemedicine. But if ... I'm not feeling well ... I don't want to be having a telemedicine". SCD participants felt they needed a physical exam periodically. "The only thing I didn't like about it was if I'm having some discomfort or some pain... there was no way for the physician to physically examine me". Along with the lack of physical exam, there were concerns about the lack of vital signs "... the drawbacks would be the lack of the vitals being taken or there's not the personal touch and stuff".

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many obstacles for patients to receive care. People living with SCD found telemedicine to be a positive tool to receive treatment. Patients reported the desire to continue with telemedicine even after the COVID -19 pandemic. Telemedicine allows for more accessibility for a group of individuals who already have numerous barriers to treatment. Future research can seek to identify the impact that telemedicine has on no-show rates, health care utilization, and the impact telemedicine has on patient reported quality of life.