THE IMPACT OF TELEMEDICINE ON PATIENT OUTCOMES, ACCESS TO CARE, AND PATIENT SATISFACTION IN FAMILY MEDICINE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Telemedicine has emerged as a transformative strategy in healthcare, particularly in family medicine, since it improves patient outcomes, increases access to care, and influences patient happiness. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the impact of telemedicine in these areas. The review included studies from multiple databases that focused on telemedicines function in family medicine throughout the last decade. The findings show that telemedicine considerably improves access to healthcare services, especially in underserved and rural areas. Patients benefit from shorter travel times and better scheduling flexibility, which has been especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the effects on patient outcomes are variable. While some studies show lower mortality rates and shorter hospital stays in telemedicine-supported care, others show an increase in acute care visits for illnesses that might be treated in outpatient settings. Patient satisfaction is generally high, particularly about the convenience of telemedicine, but this is offset by worries about the quality of care in non-face-to-face contacts. Physician perspectives differ, with some expressing displeasure with the perceived lower quality of telemedicine visits compared to in-person consultations. These findings imply that, while telemedicine has enormous potential for improving healthcare delivery in family medicine, it must be carefully integrated into existing healthcare systems to maximize its benefits. Future research should focus on hybrid care models and solutions for addressing gaps in telemedicine access and outcomes.