Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess anaesthesiologists' understanding and attitudes toward utilizing telehealth for pre-anaesthesia evaluations (PAEs) in instances where a scheduled surgery is deferred to the procedure day due to hospital or patient-related reasons. METHODOLOGY: This observational cross-sectional study involved anaesthesiologists with over six months of hospital experience, opting to participate voluntarily. Non-probability sampling was employed for participant selection. The study's objectives were communicated, and consent was obtained. Data were recorded in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using STATA 12.0. RESULTS: Of the 237 participating anaesthetists, 155 were aged 21 to 40. Notably, 88.6% (n=210) expressed interest in advanced telemedicine learning, and 77.6% (n=184) were keen on its implementation. Common sources of information included tele-diagnosis (n=194), tele-education, counselling (n=147), and tele-surveillance, with additional input from telesurgery, tele-triage, tele-monitoring, and teleradiology. CONCLUSION: The study highlights anaesthetists' strong enthusiasm for adopting advanced telemedicine and teleconferencing. Predominant information sources included tele-diagnosis, tele-education, tele-counselling, and tele-surveillance. The majority endorsed the potential of telemedicine to aid patients, expressing comfort in using it for pre-anaesthesia examinations.