Adaptation of Telemedicine in Saudi Family Medicine Clinics: A Cross-Sectional Study on Patient and Physician Satisfaction.

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine has emerged as a vital component of modern healthcare delivery, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Saudi Arabia, its adoption has expanded rapidly in family medicine clinics, offering convenience and continuity of care. However, concerns regarding diagnostic accuracy, technical challenges and physician adaptation remain, necessitating an evaluation of satisfaction from both patient and physician perspectives. Objective: To assess patient and physician satisfaction with telemedicine services in Saudi family medicine clinics and to identify predictors, barriers and opportunities for improvement. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Hail. A total of 1,000 participants (800 patients and 200 physicians) from the Hail population were surveyed using an electronic structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0, with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, ANOVA and logistic regression applied to identify independent predictors of satisfaction. Results: The mean age of participants was 36.4±11.2 years, with patients significantly younger than physicians (34.8±10.7 vs. 42.7±9.8 years, p<0.001). Patients expressed high satisfaction with convenience (mean 4.12±0.89) and overall telemedicine experience (mean 3.99±0.91), while technical performance received lower scores (mean 3.59±1.07). Physicians reported favorable satisfaction overall (mean 3.96±0.94), particularly regarding workload management (3.90±1.01) but diagnostic confidence remained limited (3.32±1.15). Major barriers included internet connectivity issues (40.2%), limited appointment availability (32.6%) and patient unfamiliarity with technology (26.8%). Logistic regression revealed that younger age (aOR 1.72, 95% CI 1.21-2.45), higher education (aOR 2.32, 95% CI 1.50-3.58), digital literacy (aOR 2.85, 95% CI 1.94-4.19) and physician organizational support (aOR 1.67, 95% CI 1.11-2.49) were significant predictors of satisfaction. Conclusion: Telemedicine has been well received in Saudi family medicine clinics, with both patients and physicians reporting high levels of satisfaction. While its advantages include convenience, accessibility and improved workload distribution, challenges related to diagnostic confidence, connectivity and patient training persist. Strengthening infrastructure, enhancing digital literacy and supporting physicians through organizational measures will be essential to sustain and expand telemedicine services in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.