Usability of outpatient video consultations: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Aim This study evaluates the usability of outpatient video consultations (VCs) at a major Danish university hospital and examines variations by patient demographics. Subject and methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using a Danish translation of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) among patients invited for VCs across 13 departments at Odense University Hospital (June–December 2023). All scheduled VC patients were automatically sent a questionnaire, including the TUQ and sociodemographic queries. The TUQ assesses overall usability and five domains: usefulness, ease of use, effectiveness, reliability, and satisfaction. Usability scores were analyzed using linear regression models. Results Of 5262 invited patients, 2424 (46%) responded. After excluding repeated and incomplete responses, 1613 patients were included in the analysis. The overall usability score was 5.8 (on a scale of 1–7). Scores were generally high (≥ 5.8) across all domains, except for reliability, which had a lower score (4.8). Higher usability was reported among patients aged 30–69 years and those living more than 25 km from the hospital, while infrequent mobile device users reported lower scores. Usability scores did not differ significantly by sex, education, employment status, or medical specialty. Conclusion Patients at a major Danish university hospital expressed generally high satisfaction with VCs across various demographics. However, as the study includes only patients selected for and agreeing to a VC, findings may not reflect the perspectives of those who declined or were deemed ineligible. Future research should explore these factors. Nonetheless, our findings suggest that VCs can improve healthcare access when appropriately implemented.