Abstract:
Telehealth promises increased access to hearing healthcare services, primarily in areas
where hearing healthcare resources are limited, such as within the South African public healthcare
system. Telehealth for hearing healthcare is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic,
where physical distancing has been essential. This study aimed to describe audiologists’ perceptions
regarding telehealth services for hearing loss within South Africa’s public healthcare system. This
study was divided into two phases. During Phase 1, 97 audiologists completed an electronic survey
regarding their perceptions of telehealth for hearing loss within South African public sector hospitals.
Synchronous virtual focus-group discussions were conducted during Phase 2. Results indicated
that audiologists recognized telehealth services’ potential to improve hearing healthcare efficiency
within the public sector, and most (84.1%) were willing to use it. However, telehealth’s actual uptake
was low despite almost doubling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prominent perceived barriers to
telehealth were primarily related to hospital resources, including the unavailability of equipment for
the remote hearing/specialized assessments, internet-related barriers, and limited IT infrastructure.
An increased understanding of telehealth in South Africa’s public healthcare system will assist
in identifying and in improving potential barriers to telehealth, including hospital resources and
infrastructure.
