Abstract
Telemedicine has rapidly become a vital tool in managing chronic diseases, yet its effective integration relies on the acceptance and preparedness of healthcare professionals. This study aimed to assess the experiences, opinions, and expectations of medical professionals regarding telemedicine tools in patient care. This cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2024 among 237 employees of the 4th Military Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland. Respondents completed an online questionnaire assessing telemedicine experiences, expectations, and barriers. This study used the “Expectations of Telemedicine” (ET-14) and “Benefits and Requirements of Telemedicine” (BRT-10). Over half of the respondents (54%) reported experience with telemedicine, especially paramedics (91.7%) and general practitioners (71.4%). Healthcare professionals identified improved patient access and optimized resource utilization as primary expectations, while significant barriers included difficulty performing physical examinations (73.8%) and technological limitations (50.6%). Although paramedics exhibited greater skepticism about telemedicine’s usefulness compared to other professions, most participants acknowledged its potential benefits for chronic disease management. The instruments used demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.95). In conclusion, telemedicine offers significant benefits for chronic disease management but requires addressing barriers such as training gaps, technological infrastructure, and regulatory adjustments. Tailored interventions and enhanced integration with existing healthcare systems are essential for broader adoption.
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The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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This research received no external funding. The APC was funded the by the Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Poland).
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B.J.-P. was responsible for study conceptualization, literature review, data analysis, manuscript drafting, project management, and funding acquisition. W.T. was responsible for study conceptualization, literature review, data analysis, manuscript drafting, supervision, and funding acquisition. W.S.Z. was responsible for data interpretation and critical revision of the manuscript. M.W. was responsible for preparing figures and tables and contributed to the manuscript review. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
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The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Lower Silesian Chamber of Physicians (approval no. KB 01/BNR/2024, approval date 14.02.2024). Informed consent was obtained from individual participants included in the study.
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Jankowska-Polańska, B., Zgliczyński, W.S., Wywrot, M. et al. Experiences and opinion of medical professionals regarding the use of telemedicine tools in management of patients with chronic diseases: a cross-sectional survey. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42687-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42687-6
