Page 17 - JSOM Fall 2023

TABLE 2 Disease/Precautions That Can Be Supported with TABLE 3 Participants‘ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors on
Telemedicine Telemedicine
Standard Standard
Disease/Precautions Mean Deviation Topics Mean Deviation
Clinics Dermatologic disease 4.10 1.02 In order for telemedicine applications to be 4.55 0.62
Psychiatric disease 4.00 1.04 used in the field, healthcare personnel must
accept innovation and change.
Cardiovascular disease 3.87 0.97 Thanks to telemedicine, medical personnel 4.55 0.50
Pulmonary disease 3.74 1.07 working in the field can access information
Eye disease 3.66 0.96 more quickly.
Ear, nose, and throat disease 3.66 0.96 In cases where evacuation of the patient/ 4.51 0.51
Neurological disease 3.55 1.07 injured personnel is not possible or will
Force Poisonous animal/plants 4.12 1.03 be delayed, telemedicine support may be
beneficial in terms of prolonged field care.
Health Water sanitation 4.10 1.05
Protection Telemedicine applications should be used in 4.51 0.62
Food hygiene 4.06 1.11 healthcare services.
Personal precautions 4.06 1.03 Telemedicine can be used to overcome the 4.49 0.55
language barrier in the delivery of healthcare
Infectious disease 4.02 0.94
to patients/injured who do not speak Turkish
Precautions for noise and 3.83 1.15 in the conflict zone.
vibration
Telemedicine applications can contribute to 4.47 0.55
Indoor air quality 3.78 1.12 the quality of healthcare provided in field
Battle CBRN events 4.40 0.68 under limited conditions.
Injuries, (field management) Telemedicine can contribute to raising the 4.45 0.50
Disease and Gunshot wounds 4.26 0.82 level of consciousness, providing behavioral
Non-Battle change, and gaining awareness.
Injuries Poisoning 4.23 0.89
Approach to open fracture 4.23 0.87 Telemedicine applications should be used in 4.43 0.54
epidemics, disasters, and mass casualties.
Handmade explosives 4.21 0.98 Telemedicine applications have advantages in 4.38 0.61
Diseases at risk of epidemic in 4.17 0.96 terms of time and cost.
public environments With the telemedicine application, the 4.38 0.68
Vehicle accident 4.17 0.94 knowledge, experience, and self-confidence
Pneumothorax 4.12 0.95 of personnel working in prehospital
Falling 4.09 0.97 healthcare services can increase.
Management of a new or 4.06 0.94 Having a center that I can consult 4.38 0.77
continuously within the scope of healthcare
undescribed infectious disease services increases my motivation to work.
Sport injuries 4.00 0.93 Telemedicine can increase the speed of access 4.36 0.57
Pain management in field 4.00 0.96 to medical logistics and capabilities.
Dislocation reduction 3.97 1.01 Telemedicine applications can be easy and 4.36 0.64
*1 was “strongly disagree” and 5 was “strongly agree.” useful in the field.
The existence of a telemedicine application 4.30 0.69
that will support the medical decisions
the operational field (4.51 ± 0.62). Thus, the personnel work- made in the field can protect the healthcare
ing in the field could reach information more easily (4.55 ± personnel in terms of malpractice.
0.50), but healthcare personnel should accept innovation and With the telemedicine service to be provided 4.30 0.78
change for this (4.55 ± 0.62). in the field, health expenditures (evacuation
costs, etc.) can be reduced.
Telemedicine can be used by the personnel 4.30 0.62
Considering that the equipment used may change with the who previously served in the field to transfer
development of technology, when the participants were asked their experiences about the region and the
which equipment should be given to the personnel working in unit to the new personnel.
the field within the scope of telemedicine, 41 (87.2%) partici- Telemedicine can be useful in medical 4.28 0.88
pants stated that they should be supported with Global System evacuation, especially in terms of the
for Mobile Communications (GSM)-connected internet access. “golden hour.”
The least demanded was the Global Positioning System (GPS) Telemedicine applications can be widely used 4.26 0.70
(68.1%). Twenty-seven (57.4%) of the participants stated that in prehospital healthcare.
all the mentioned equipment should be given to the healthcare There can be a positive change in the 4.11 0.63
number of data transfers obtained through
personnel. telemedicine applications in the field to
scientific research.
Discussion Telemedicine can be used for healthcare 4.02 0.94
services to be provided to the civilian
In this study, the subject of how telemedicine can be used to population in conflict areas within the scope
support healthcare services performed in the field under dif- of humanitarian aid.
ficult and limited conditions is examined. The authors inves- Telemedicine can meet expectations in terms 3.96 0.81
tigated this topic by using the experience and perspectives of of patient satisfaction.
physicians who have field experience and are currently work- (continues)
ing as assistants in a training and research hospital.

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