• Bridging Gaps in Multiple Sclerosis Care with Telehealth: Utilization Trends and Readiness Assessment
  • Farnaz Zare,1 Rezvan Rahimi,2,* Hanieh Zehtab Hashemi,3 Seyed Massood Nabavi,4
    1. 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medical sciences, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran. 2 Department of Hemovigilance, Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, Tehran, Iran.
    2. Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
    3. Department of Health Informatics, Smart University of Medical Sciences, Tehran‎, ‎Iran.
    4. Regenerative Medicine Department, MS and Neurology Group, Royan institute for stem cell biology and Technology, Tehran, Iran


  • Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurological condition that often requires ongoing medical care and management. With the rapid expansion of telehealth services in recent years, there is a growing interest in its application to MS care. This article presents a comprehensive exploration of the readiness and utilization trends of telehealth solutions in the context of MS patient care.
  • Methods: In this cross-sectional research, we conducted a descriptive and analytical investigation involving individuals with MS who sought care at a referral MS clinic in Tehran. We administered a three-part questionnaire, encompassing demographic information, utilization of telehealth services by MS patients, and an assessment of their readiness to embrace telehealth services. The Technology Readiness Index (TRI 2.0) was employed, utilizing four dimensions: optimism, innovativeness, insecurity, and discomfort. Subsequently, we analyzed the collected data using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. All data preprocessing and statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 26 and Microsoft Excel 2020.
  • Results: A total of 120 participants were involved in the study, with the majority being female (73%). According to the obtained results, 66% (120 out of 79) of the patients with MS have used remote health services at least once for managing their condition. Participants mentioned the following most common uses, in order: searching for information related to healthcare facilities and making appointments, searching for pharmacies for necessary medications, remote communication with their treating physician, and seeking information related to their disease. The average scores for willingness to adopt telehealth services, optimism, innovativeness, insecurity, and discomfort were as follows: 3.266 (P<0.01), 3.633 (P<0.01), 3.273 (P<0.01), 3.031 (P>0.05), and 3.127 (P>0.05), respectively. Notably, there was no observed correlation between age, gender, marital status, educational attainment, employment status, disease type, disease duration, mobility, and the level of readiness to embrace telehealth among individuals with MS (P>0.05).
  • Conclusion: The readiness of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to utilize telehealth tools surpassed the average level significantly. In summary, these findings emphasize the increasing importance and acceptance of telehealth services within the MS patient community. While the results generally exhibit a positive trend, additional research and targeted interventions could prove advantageous in addressing potential concerns related to discomfort and insecurity, ultimately broadening the application of telehealth in the realm of MS care. Given the potential advantages of telehealth tools in delivering timely and high-quality information for self-managing their condition, it becomes crucial to introduce interventions aimed at bolstering patients' preparedness and eagerness to embrace these resources.
  • Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, Digital health, Telehealth, mHealth, Technology readiness