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Original Article
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Korean J Intern Med. 2026;41(1):131-142. Published online January 1, 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2025.048
- Analysis of experiences on telemedicine pilot projects from the perspectives of doctors, pharmacists, and patients
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Yeryeon Jung1, Hyunah Kim2, Jeong-Yeon Kim1, Seongwoo Seo1, Youseok Kim3, Min Jung Ko1, Hun-Sung Kim4,5
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1Division of Healthcare Research, National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency, Seoul, Korea
2College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, Korea
3Department of Healthcare Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
4Department of Medical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
5Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- Corresponding author: Hun-Sung Kim ,Tel: +82-2-3147-8425, Fax: +82-0508-926-9080, Email: 01cadiz@hanmail.net
- Received: February 10, 2025; Revised: April 22, 2025 Accepted: May 9, 2025.
- Abstract
- Background/Aims
This study is the first to analyze telemedicine pilot project experiences from doctors, pharmacists, and patients with different roles to support sustainable commercialization.
Methods
An online survey targeted individuals (patients, doctors, and pharmacists) who participated in the telemedicine pilot project at least once between June 1, 2023, and July 17, 2024. The survey assessed satisfaction and usage conditions. The online survey conducted between May 2024 and July 2024 included 1,500 patients, 300 doctors, and 100 pharmacists.
Results
Doctors, pharmacists, and patients all expressed their intention to participate actively in telemedicine in the future; however, pharmacists showed lower participation rates than doctors (84.7% vs. 67.0% vs. 91.7%, p < 0.001). The most common reason among doctors was “increasing demands from patients” (44.3%), while for pharmacists, it was “easy management of patients with chronic diseases” (67.0%). This showed a statistically significant difference between groups (p < 0.001). Among patients, 65.0% cited “lack of time and convenience.” Notably, both doctors and patients agreed that telemedicine requires more time than current practices, although their perceptions differed significantly (all p < 0.001). Additionally, 24.0% of patients who used telemedicine for "hair loss/beauty" purposes reported treatment times of “≤ 3 minutes” shorter than for other purposes. Regarding telemedicine platforms, 75.0% of doctors and 84.0% of pharmacists reported no prior experience using them.
Conclusions
Appropriate telemedicine systems require collaboration among doctors, pharmacists, and patients. While most groups expressed positive attitudes and future intentions, significant gaps in experience and understanding must be addressed to ensure successful implementation.
Keywords :Surveys and questionnaires; Telemedicine; Patient satisfaction; Pharmacists; Physicians
