| Main Theme | Quotations from students | Comment |
| Convenience | "I absolutely love this, it is easy and convenient for me, looking forward to use it in future" “This was so unbelievably convenient. I needed a simple prescription renewal and am too busy to go to my family doctor. I would love to continue to use this service!” “The experience was good. It was great that I was able to seek medical help from a medical professional without having to leave my house rather than just using the internet to google my symptoms so I find that awesome” “I had a minor health complaint and it was something I probably would have waited to go see the Physician for as it was difficult for me to book appointments with my busy schedule. It was nice to get a quick answer/diagnosis in a few minutes of my down time! | It is evident from participants’ feedback that they found their consultations with the virtual physician convenient. Participants in this project were students who are busy with their studies and other obligations. They indicated that having easy and quick access was suitable as it took only a few minutes to get what they needed without accessing in-person facilities. |
| Save time | “Very easy to use and if you don't have time to sit in a physicians office for 30 minutes to an hour it's a great way to save time and money” "This experience was awesome! Way better than waiting in a waiting room for hours on end" “I really enjoyed being able to access this service. It was nice, quick and easy. I was able to get the two prescriptions faxed directly to my pharmacy. It was nice to have access to it when I otherwise would not be able to get into my family physician or have time to sit in a medicentre. I would be interested to see how it would work regarding anti depressants or any controlled substances and getting a prescription for that.” “The technology is helpful especially to people who don't drive, or if someone is not physically stable enough to get out of the house to see a physician. Also, this is better when all you need is a minor prescription. You don't have to book an appointment days ahead and wait for 30 mins for a 5-minute appointment” | Getting healthcare services through walk-in clinics can be time consuming. They would take time to walk, cycle, taxi, drive or take public transport to their nearest walk-in clinic. When they get there, patients would wait for a about an hour before they could consult with the physician. During times of infectious diseases pandemics/epidemics waiting in physical clinics could expose patients to infections and contribute toward exponential spread of the disease. Technology helped with quick access and saved time for the participants. |
| Open to share symptoms | “The technology was very convenient, I felt like I could provide honest and unbiased answers o the computer screen…The prescriptions were quite handy and it was super easy to get them sent to me, no ambiguity through messy hand-writing or anything of the sorts. The biggest limitation was evidence, such as taking pictures of your throat. Maybe have a phone app that can upload direct while you're in a conversation on your computer so you wouldn’t have to change what device you’re chatting on. Or have preemptive requirements such as if you have a sore throat take a picture before hand.” “My experience was great! I was able to speak with a physician quickly and with it being digital, I found that I actually felt more comfortable talking to the physician as opposed to being face to face. All necessary questions were asked and answered honestly, the physician was friendly and took his time, when my medication was prescribed he provided details. I think if this virtual service was available to everyone, it would be super beneficial!” | Not all patients feel comfortable enough to share their symptoms with healthcare providers. In this project, participants were using technology to communicate with the virtual physician. Feedback from participants suggests that virtual healthcare removed barriers of communication as patients provided honest answers. Honest answers from patients also assistwith proper diagnosis and treatment. |
| Improved access to immigrants & rural patients | "Really very helpful like me new comers to Canada who don't know how to get medical help. Really wonderful service." "Great for rural residents…. Specially [for a] working person who has hard to find time." | Virtual healthcare is an essential service for patients who reside far away from walk-in clinics. They get to consult with a virtual physician at any time |
| Professionalism of care providers | "Very professional and nice/helpful." "Nice conversation with your Physician." “It was efficient and quick, the physician was very thorough and the use of the video chat made it feel like a regular trip to the physician.” | Despite physical distance, the participants were satisfied with the quality of care they received. |