Teleconsultation Process for Physicians Working with ASD Patients: Insights from a Usability Evaluation

We describe a usability evaluation of a teleconsultation model for primary care physicians (PCPs) with patients with autism spectrum disorders and a developmental-behavioral pediatrician (DBP) with relevant expertise. Six PCPs participated in a total of 12 consultations with a DBP. Detailed observations and user ratings and comments were collected. Standard usability metrics were used, and the communication quality and interactions of the two participating parties (PCP and DBP) were examined. High post-task and post-study ratings (including System Usability Scale, Communication Quality, and attitudes toward teleconsultation process scores), as well as the positive comments from participants, indicated that the teleconsultations were successful, and demonstrated the effectiveness of this type of communication, particularly for validating PCPs’ ideas and strengthening their confidence in talking with families, providing new ideas and redirected their thinking, and connecting PCPs with location-sensitive resources. PCPs found value in the opportunity to connect with an ASD specialist in a timely and efficient manner. Most indicated that the video element of the consultation enhanced clarity and understanding, attention, engagement, and collegiality, while acknowledging drawbacks such as reduced ability to multitask compared to consultations by phone. Recommendations for enhancements of the teleconsultation process focus on supporting PCPs in getting started with Zoom; providing ground rules and establishing procedures; creating information sharing/summary templates for the teleconsultation process; and fostering communication quality in a mediated environment.