Ezequiel Mauro1, Sebastián Marciano1,2, María C Torres1, Juan D Roca3, Abel L Novillo4, Adrían Gadano1,2. 1. Liver Unit, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Juan Domingo Perón 4190, 1199 ABH, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2. Department of Research, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Juan Domingo Perón 4190, 1199 ABH, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 3. Grupo Integral Clínico Cardiológico, Alvear 154, 6300, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina. 4. Sanatorio 9 de Julio, 25 de Mayo 372, 4000, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
Abstract
AIMS: Telemedicine between health care providers could be useful for improving the access to hepatology consultations, which is challenging in some regions. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of consultations that were resolved through a telemedicine program. Additionally, we evaluated patient satisfaction with this strategy. METHODS: Consecutive telemedicine consultations made by non-hepatologist health care providers from different regions of Argentina to a specialty hepatology team were included. Participants and hepatologists used e-mail, teleconference systems, WhatsApp, or telephone to interact, depending on their preferences. Consultations were considered to be resolved through telemedicine when a diagnosis and an adequate follow-up were achieved without the need to refer the patient to a hepatologist or other specialist. Patient satisfaction with telemedicine was evaluated using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form and Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 200 telemedicine consultations made by 24 physicians from 10 different provinces of Argentina were evaluated, of which 145 (73%; 95% CI: 66%-79%) were resolved through telemedicine. Practitioners specialities were as follows: family physicians, internists, gastroenterologists, infectious diseases, and obstetrics. The most frequent final diagnoses for those patients whose consultation was resolved through telemedicine were non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and benign hepatic lesions. A high degree of patient satisfaction with telemedicine was observed in both questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the effectiveness of telemedicine in hepatology, with high resolution rate of consultations and rapid access to experts' assessment. Additionally, a high degree of patient satisfaction was observed using prevalidated questionnaires.
AIMS: Telemedicine between health care providers could be useful for improving the access to hepatology consultations, which is challenging in some regions. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of consultations that were resolved through a telemedicine program. Additionally, we evaluated patient satisfaction with this strategy. METHODS: Consecutive telemedicine consultations made by non-hepatologist health care providers from different regions of Argentina to a specialty hepatology team were included. Participants and hepatologists used e-mail, teleconference systems, WhatsApp, or telephone to interact, depending on their preferences. Consultations were considered to be resolved through telemedicine when a diagnosis and an adequate follow-up were achieved without the need to refer the patient to a hepatologist or other specialist. Patient satisfaction with telemedicine was evaluated using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form and Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 200 telemedicine consultations made by 24 physicians from 10 different provinces of Argentina were evaluated, of which 145 (73%; 95% CI: 66%-79%) were resolved through telemedicine. Practitioners specialities were as follows: family physicians, internists, gastroenterologists, infectious diseases, and obstetrics. The most frequent final diagnoses for those patients whose consultation was resolved through telemedicine were non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and benign hepatic lesions. A high degree of patient satisfaction with telemedicine was observed in both questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the effectiveness of telemedicine in hepatology, with high resolution rate of consultations and rapid access to experts' assessment. Additionally, a high degree of patient satisfaction was observed using prevalidated questionnaires.
Authors: Long B Le; Harman K Rahal; Matthew R Viramontes; Katherine G Meneses; Tien S Dong; Sammy Saab Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2018-12-05 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Pere Ginès; Isabel Graupera; Frank Lammert; Paolo Angeli; Llorenç Caballeria; Aleksander Krag; I Neil Guha; S Darwish Murad; Laurent Castera Journal: Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2016-10-12
Authors: Mary E Kim; Lauren Timmons Sund; Mariah Morton; James Kim; Janet S Choi; M Eugenia Castro Journal: J Voice Date: 2022-07-18 Impact factor: 2.300