SYMBOLIC INTERACTION IN USING TELEMEDICINE APPLICATIONS DURING A PANDEMIC (A CASE STUDY OF FIKOM UNTAR STUDENTS IN USING THE HALODOC APPLICATION)

Abstract

Currently, almost the whole world is facing a pandemic. Therefore, since the Covid-19 pandemic has become a world health crisis, telemedicine application services is an option in the current pandemic situation. Halodoc telemedicine application is a health service in Indonesia that was created to make it easier to access health by utilizing online application technology. The Halodoc telemedicine application is a health application that provides information and helps deal with users' health problems during the pandemic. Symbolic interaction plays an essential role by female students in using the Halodoc telemedicine application during the pandemic. This study uses a qualitative exploratory approach methodology with a case study method. Informants in this study were students of FIKOM UNTAR who used the Halodoc telemedicine application. Researchers choose informants because they are in accordance with the fulfillment of research data. Data collection was carried out using 2 types, namely, primary data including observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. And secondary data in the form of archival records and literature study. The author's results will go through data reduction, data presentation, conclusion drawing, and data validity. This study concludes that female students use the Halodoc telemedicine application to meet health needs during the pandemic. The Halodoc telemedicine application is used as an online health information tool remotely. In this case, there is a symbolic interaction that contains symbols such as the prevailing culture, the symbolic in the application features, and the expectations of the Halodoc telemedicine application users.