ASSESSING THE EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING OBESITY MEDICATION THROUGH TELEMEDICINE: DEVELOPMENT OF A PATIENT REPORTED SURVEY

OBJECTIVES: Telemedicine allows for a two-way, real time interactive communication between the patient and the physician at a distant site in order to diagnose conditions and prescribe treatments. Technology advancements have made telemedicine more common, particularly when addressing healthcare access issues associated with isolated populations. This study sought to develop a questionnaire to assess the overall patient experience and perceived quality of care of those seeking pharmacological obesity treatment via telemedicine vis-à- vis usual care. METHODS: A multi-phased study was conducted in the United States, which included concept evaluation, item generation, and cognitive interviewing. Adhering to ISPOR Good Research Practices, desk literature was reviewed and physicians (N=3) were interviewed to develop a draft survey to assess the patient experience of seeking pharmacological obesity treatment. Patients who were evaluated and diagnosed with obesity and recently received a prescription weight loss medication via enrollment in a savings card program were invited to participate in two rounds of cognitive interviews (N=10). RESULTS: Desk research and physician interviews suggested concepts relating to convenience of meeting with a physician, the environment of the (physician-patient) interaction, interpersonal manner of the physician, quality of the interaction, value of the interaction, and overall satisfaction. These concepts were confirmed during the cognitive interviews with no new concepts uncovered. Respondents improved wording of items by emphasizing the importance of the physician asking “appropriate” and “non-judgmental” questions and knowing “how to consult on obesity issues” with patients, rather than just being medically knowledgeable about obesity. Patients also emphasized the importance of capturing the entire process (inclusive of obtaining the prescription itself), rather than just the physician-patient interaction. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided sufficient content validity for the newly developed patient experience questionnaire. Future research can implement this instrument to evaluate the patient experience of seeking pharmacological obesity treatment through telemedicine or usual care.