ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2022
A Survey of Telemedicine Use by Doctors in District Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- App-based primary care in South Africa: A conceptual pathway from telemedicine service acceptance to patients' continuance intentions.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2026Article
- Togolese Doctors' Awareness, Perceptions, and Practices of Telemedicine: A National Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of tropical medicine · 2026Article
- Health workers' perception of digital technology use to improve mental health services.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Article
- Keep it simple: telemedicine to support pediatric care in Ethiopia through existing instant messaging applications.mHealth · 2025Article
- Towards 'Formalising' WhatsApp Teledermatology Practice in KZ-N District Hospitals: Key Informant Interviews.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Unravelling the shift: exploring consumers' adoption or resistance of E-Pharmacy through behavioural reasoning theory.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Telemedicine and Pediatric Care in Rural and Remote Areas of Middle-and-Low-Income Countries: Narrative Review.Journal of epidemiology and global health · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
There is anecdotal evidence of informal telemedicine activity in KwaZulu-Natal (KZ-N), South Africa.
aimTo determine the current extent of telemedicine in district hospitals in KZ-N; the range of clinical activities and technologies used; additional services needed; current knowledge and practice regarding legal, ethical, and regulatory issues; and the need to formalise telemedicine activities.
methodA cross-sectional survey of telemedicine use by 143 doctors working at 22 District hospitals in KZ-N.
resultsMost doctors (96%) participated in some form of telemedicine across a spectrum of disciplines, but more than half did not consider their activities to constitute telemedicine. To meet their needs, doctors have started their own informal services with colleagues, using mostly instant messaging and chat groups (WhatsApp). Some doctors indicated the need to formalise these services and establish additional services. Few doctors were aware of the national telemedicine guidelines and the required written informed consent for telemedicine was seldom obtained. This could have serious legal, regulatory, and ethical implications.
conclusionsPractical clinical and technical guidelines and standard operating procedures need to be developed with the active participation of the clinical workforce. These should encourage innovation and greater use of telemedicine, including the use of instant messaging apps.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.