Pre-exposure prophylaxis and telemedicine during coronavirus (COVID-19): a qualitative study of the experiences of health care professionals in Mexico.

Background: Telemedicine, which involves utilising technologies for remote health care delivery, proved useful to continue offering certain health services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. However, the extent of its effectiveness in delivering pre-exposure prophylaxis services for HIV prevention remains underexplored from the viewpoint of health care providers. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the experiences of health care professionals in Mexico who utilised telemedicine for delivering pre-exposure prophylaxis services during the COVID-19 contingency. Methods: A qualitative study was performed: 15 virtual interviews with health care professionals were conducted, transcribed and coded in ATLAS.ti. Results: The results indicate that telemedicine effectively mitigated COVID-19 exposure, facilitated users' access to pre-exposure prophylaxis counselling, minimised waiting times and enhanced health care professionals' perceived control during sessions. While implementing remote services, certain organisational challenges, which were somewhat latent before the pandemic, became more apparent: colleagues recognised the necessity for more formal communication channels to disseminate information effectively. Additionally, there was a recognised need for electronic patient files to streamline data-sharing processes. An optimal approach would involve a blend of face-to-face and virtual services, contingent upon the availability of essential infrastructure, well-defined implementation protocols and comprehensive training programs. Conclusions: Telemedicine streamlined certain processes, garnered positive acceptance from healthcare professionals and holds promise as a valuable post-pandemic tool for improving retention among pre-exposure prophylaxis users. Telemedicine, involving the use of technologies for remote healthcare services, was used by health care providers in Mexico to facilitate access to HIV prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis. From their experiences, it became evident that telemedicine improved access to HIV-prevention counselling and enhanced time management for providers; at the same time, they struggled with inadequate infrastructure and concerns about privacy. They advocated for clear guidelines to establish procedures and provide support when delivering pre-exposure prophylaxis services remotely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]