title: Telemedicine in the Northern Territory: an assessment of patient perceptions in the preoperative anaesthetic clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated patient perceptions of a virtual preoperative anaesthesia evaluation clinic linking Royal Darwin Hospital to Katherine Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study, cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional and rural areas of Northern Territory, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample includes 27 respondents, five Indigenous, 18 non-Indigenous and four unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Introduction of a preoperative anaesthesia evaluation clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed a 10-item, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire assessing patient perceptions in four domains: (i) technical quality; (ii) perceived efficacy; (iii) affective patient experience; and (iv) patient preference. Qualitative responses are also reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven out of 35 patients (77%) completed the questionnaire. Ninety-eight per cent were in positive agreement on technical quality with a mean score of 1.35 (SD: 0.53); Ninety-five per cent on perceived efficacy, 1.35 (SD: 0.65); Eighty-four per cent in negative agreement on affective patient experience (negative perception item), 4.19 (SD: 1.07); Eighty-one per cent in negative agreement on patient preference (negative perception item), 4.23 (SD: 1.14). There were no significant differences in the answers between Indigenous (five patients) and non-Indigenous patients (18 patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms the acceptability of telemedicine in the remote assessment of preoperative patients in the Northern Territory, with positive perceptions in all four domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spain
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Chelsea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: London
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tay
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000777:Anesthetics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous; D006801:Humans; D015876:Northern Territory; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics
keywords: Indigenous health; health service evaluation; preoperative assessment; telemedicine evaluation; video conference