Virtual House Calls: Telemedicine and Reforming the Health Care Delivery Model with Strategies Implemented in a Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

Predição de visitas domiciliares na atenção primária

Introdução: Espera-se, nos próximos anos, um novo perfil de demanda para o Sistema Único de Saúde em consequência do envelhecimento populacional e do aumento da prevalência de doenças crônicas. Diante disso, faz-se necessário o uso de ferramentas para estimar a demanda futura por serviços. Modelos para a análise de séries temporais como o Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) podem auxiliar. Objetivo: Estimar a demanda por visitas domiciliares na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) do Sistema Único de Saúde, em Florianópolis (SC). Métodos: Estudo ecológico de séries temporais que utilizou o ARIMA para projeções. Adotaram-se as visitas domiciliares realizadas pela APS, registradas do prontuário eletrônico da Secretaria de Saúde do município, de janeiro de 2015 a fevereiro de 2019. As projeções dos 20 meses seguintes foram realizadas para o município e para cada um de seus 49 Centros de Saúde. Resultados: A previsão aponta, em agosto de 2019, a máxima de 702 visitas, seguida de queda para 573 visitas em dezembro de 2019 e posterior recuperação, com estimativa de 632 para outubro de 2020. A previsão para cada Centro de Saúde indicou variações na demanda entre unidades com o mesmo número de equipes de Saúde da Família (ESF), entre 11,3 e 1,3 visitas/ESF, no 20o mês. Conclusões: O ARIMA possibilitou a realização das projeções de visitas domiciliares no município, indicando queda na demanda de visitas domiciliares. O método pode ser de grande valia para a projeção de outras demandas no mesmo município ou em outros que possuam dados de série histórica. Estudos futuros podem expandir a análise nesse sentido, bem como comparar o ARIMA com modelos como a suavização exponencial.

Analysis of Facilitators and Barriers to the Delivery of Routine Care during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: A Systematic Review

The delivery of routine health care during the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to be challenged as public health guidelines and other local/regional/state and other policies are enforced to help prevent the spread of the virus. The objective of this systematic review is to identify the facilitators and barriers affecting the delivery of routine health care services during the pandemic to provide a framework for future research. In total, 32 articles were identified for common themes surrounding facilitators of routine care during COVID-19. Identified constructed in the literature include enhanced education initiatives for parents/patients regarding routine vaccinations, an importance of routine vaccinations as compared to the risk of COVID-19 infection, an enhanced use of telehealth resources (including diagnostic imagery) and identified patient throughput/PPE initiatives. Reviewers identified the following barriers to the delivery of routine care: conservation of medical providers and PPE for non-routine (acute) care delivery needs, specific routine care services incongruent the telehealth care delivery methods, and job-loss/food insecurity. Review results can assist healthcare organizations with process-related challenges related to current and/or future delivery of routine care and support future research initiatives as the global pandemic continues.

Delivering Personalized Care at a Distance: How Telemedicine Can Foster Getting to Know the Patient as a Person

The promise of precision medicine is based on the use of new technologies to better characterize patients by defining individuals in the areas of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other aspects of biologic variability. Wise application of modern technology can similarly transform health visits with patients, allowing for better characterization of the patient's individual life circumstances than possible in a traditional office visit. The use of, and experience with, telemedicine have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and clinicians report high satisfaction with telemedicine, and the quality of communication and patient-centeredness experienced in this setting are both rated highly. In this article, we explore the benefits offered by telemedicine in facilitating personalized care with particular focus on telemedicine delivered by video platforms. We propose strategies and skills specific to the effective implementation of personalized telemedicine, drawing on literature in patient-centered communication and home visits. While traditional in-person office visits continue to offer important opportunities such as thorough physical examination and the potential for enhanced non-verbal communication, telemedicine offers many important advantages that can facilitate the process of getting to know the patient as a person.

A Practical Guide for Navigating the Design, Build, and Clinical Integration of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes in the Radiation Oncology Department

The development and integration of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) into the radiation oncology clinic workflow provide novel opportunities, accompanied by unique design considerations and implementation challenges. The processes required for implementation of ePROs are entirely distinct from standard paper-based surveys, with the majority of time devoted to conception and design before initiating questionnaire build, detailed workflow process mapping including development of new workflows, comprehensive communication of the vision between providers and the information technology team, and quality assurance. Based on our experience with implementation of ePROs in our radiation oncology department, we developed a stepwise framework for approaching ePRO conceptual design, build, workflow integration, and the electronic health record interface. Here, we provide a guide for the numerous considerations, decision points, and solutions associated with the implementation of ePROs in the radiation oncology department setting. Although various ePRO tools and electronic health record capabilities impose different requirements, opportunities, and limitations, the conceptual processes and many of the electronic build considerations are broadly applicable.

Rapid Telehealth Implementation during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: A Rapid Review

The implementation and continued expansion of telehealth services assists a variety of health care organizations in the delivery of care during the current COVID-19 global pandemic. However, limited research has been conducted on recent, rapid telehealth implementation and expansion initiatives regarding facilitators and barriers surrounding the provision of quality patient care. Our rapid review evaluated the literature specific to rapid telehealth implementation during the current COVID-19 pandemic from three research databases between January 2020 and May 2020 and reported using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). The results indicate the rapid implementation and enhanced use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States surrounding the facilitators and barriers to the provision of patient care, which are categorized into three identified themes: (1) descriptive process-oriented implementations, (2) the interpretation and infusion of the CARES Act of 2020 telehealth exemptions related to the relaxation of patient privacy and security (HIPAA) protocols, and (3) the standard of care protocols and experiences addressing organizational liability and the standard of care. While the study limitation of sample size exists (n = 21), an identification of rapid telehealth implementation advancements and challenges during the current pandemic may assist health care organizations in the delivery of ongoing quality care during the COVID-19 pandemic.