Use of virtual visits for the care of the arrhythmia patient

BACKGROUND Virtual visits (VVs) are a modality for delivering health care services remotely through videoconferencing tools. Data about patient and physician experience in using VVs are limited. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess patient and physician experience with the use of VVs in cardiac electrophysiology. METHODS We performed a prospective survey of cardiac electrophysiology patients and physicians who participated in an outpatient VV from December 2018 to July 2019. RESULTS One-hundred consecutive VVs were included. Sixty-four patients elected to complete a survey. Patients rated their experience as either excellent/very good in scheduling a VV (87%), seeing their physician of choice (100%), transmitting arrhythmia data (88%), rating their physician's ability to communicate (98%), asking all questions (98%), rating the level of care received (98%), paying for the cost of a VV (67%), and rating their overall level of satisfaction (98%). Thirty-eight of 64 patients (59.4%) preferred a VV for their next visit, 12 of 64 (18.8%) preferred an in-office visit, 13 of 64 (20.3%) responded that their decision for a virtual or office visit depended on indication, and 1 of 64 (1.6%) had no preference. A total of 14 cardiac electrophysiologists participated in 100 VVs. Nine visits were not included due to technical difficulty. Physician responses to survey questions were rated as excellent/very good in the ability to communicate (92%), accessing monitoring data (95%), and overall level of satisfaction (98%). CONCLUSION In our small study population, most patients and physicians prefer VVs. Convenience, cost, and reason for follow-up were important determinants that affected both patient and physician preference.