Perception and Acceptance of Virtual Clinic in pregnant women in Hong Kong

Author(s): Joan Kar On Wai, Li Justin, Wing Wai Ng, Pui Wah Hui

Objectives:

This study aimed to explore the perception and acceptance of virtual clinic in pregnant women in Hong Kong, as well as to explore if patients accepted to conduct Down's syndrome counselling in virtual clinic

Methods:

This was a cross sectional study. Questionnaire was distributed in Tsan Yuk Hospital in Hong Kong at booking antenatal visits between April 2021 and August 2021. Questions were divided in different parts - (1) Basic demographics (2) Awareness of virtual clinic (3) Preference of virtual clinic (4) Expectation and preference of virtual clinic

Results:

The study surveyed 427 participants, with a response rate of 94%, mostly Chinese women aged 26-35, highly educated and employed. Many were unfamiliar with virtual clinics, but during the pandemic, 70.4% preferred them. Despite the increase in acceptance, only 16.7% of respondents accepted to conduct Down’s syndrome screening counselling in a virtual clinic if they were screened positive. Patients who preferred virtual clinics during the pandemic saw them as lower infection risk and more time efficient. There is statistically significant difference that patients who preferred in attending virtual clinic over face- to-face clinic in COVID-19 pandemic are more inclined to think virtual clinic is better than face-to-face clinic in Obstetrics practice (p=0.035). This group of patients also believed that virtual clinic can be successfully implemented in Hong Kong. (p<0.001)

Conclusions:

There was an increase in acceptance in virtual clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic although the majority of the respondents would not accept to conduct Down’s syndrome screening counselling in virtual clinics if screened positive.