A comprehensive Odoxa survey highlights how COVID-19 lockdowns in France spurred telemedicine adoption. Teleconsultations among health professionals surged fivefold, though technical challenges lingered.
France's first COVID-19 wave accelerated telemedicine use, per Odoxa's recent survey of 2,010 representative French adults aged 18+. It included 254 doctors and 248 nurses, who shared their lockdown experiences.
Patient teleconsultations more than tripled, while doctors' usage multiplied by five from January to June 2020. Every participant had tried it at least once—for remote patient monitoring and supplementing practice. No less than 75% expressed satisfaction.
Providers appreciated the ease of access to teleconsultation platforms, as software vendors offered solutions—often free. One in two doctors secured video transmission tools for lockdown.
Yet hurdles emerged: connection issues and lack of software interoperability, impeding workflows. Concerns included dehumanizing doctor-patient bonds and data hacking risks—as seen in a recent German hospital ransomware attack that caused a patient's death.
Odoxa's prior survey noted just 6% of French people used teleconsultation in 2019, but 65% were open to it on doctor recommendation. With COVID-19 ongoing, telemedicine holds strong potential—if technical and security issues are addressed for greater efficiency.
