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Asadi H, Toni E, Ayatollahi H. Application of telemedicine technology for cardiovascular diseases management during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1397566. [PMID: 39188320 PMCID: PMC11345180 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1397566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Recently, the use of telemedicine technology has increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Cardiovascular diseases management is one of the areas that has benefited from using this technology. This study aimed to identify the applications of telemedicine for cardiovascular diseases management during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods This scoping study was conducted in 2023. Various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, CINAHL, ProQuest, and IEEE Xplore along with Google Scholar were searched and all related quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies published in English between 2020 and 2022 were included. Finally, the required data were extracted, and the findings were reported narratively. Results A total of 17 articles were included in this study. The results showed that teleconsultation via telephone and videoconferencing were the most common used technologies. Telemedicine helped to improve clinical impacts such as patient health status and quality of care, and reduced hospitalizations and re-admission rates compared to in-person visits. The non-clinical impact included reducing waiting time, in-person visits, and healthcare costs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increased use of telemedicine technology, especially for patients with cardiovascular diseases. As teleconsultation and telemonitoring are useful for cardiovascular diseases management and regular examinations, future research should investigate how these technologies can be improved and used for a wider population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Asadi
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Esmaeel Toni
- Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Haleh Ayatollahi
- Health Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Pegoraro V, Bidoli C, Dal Mas F, Bert F, Cobianchi L, Zantedeschi M, Campostrini S, Migliore F, Boriani G. Cardiology in a Digital Age: Opportunities and Challenges for e-Health: A Literature Review. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4278. [PMID: 37445312 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12134278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To date, mortality rates associated with heart diseases are dangerously increasing, making them the leading cause of death globally. From this point of view, digital technologies can provide health systems with the necessary support to increase prevention and monitoring, and improve care delivery. The present study proposes a review of the literature to understand the state of the art and the outcomes of international experiences. A reference framework is defined to develop reflections to optimize the use of resources and technologies, favoring the development of new organizational models and intervention strategies. Findings highlight the potential significance of e-health and telemedicine in supporting novel solutions and organizational models for cardiac illnesses as a response to the requirements and restrictions of patients and health systems. While privacy concerns and technology-acceptance-related issues arise, new avenues for research and clinical practice emerge, with the need to study ad hoc managerial models according to the type of patient and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Pegoraro
- Governance and Social Innovation (GSI) Centre, Ca' Foscari Foundation, 30123 Venice, Italy
- Department of Economics, Ca' Foscari University, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Chiara Bidoli
- Governance and Social Innovation (GSI) Centre, Ca' Foscari Foundation, 30123 Venice, Italy
- Department of Economics, Ca' Foscari University, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Francesca Dal Mas
- Department of Management, Ca' Foscari University, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Bert
- Department of Sciences of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
- Infection Prevention and Control Unit, ASL TO3 Hospitals, 10098 Turin, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Cobianchi
- Department of Clinical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Department of General Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- ITIR-Institute for Transformative Innovation Research, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maristella Zantedeschi
- Governance and Social Innovation (GSI) Centre, Ca' Foscari Foundation, 30123 Venice, Italy
- Department of Economics, Ca' Foscari University, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Stefano Campostrini
- Governance and Social Innovation (GSI) Centre, Ca' Foscari Foundation, 30123 Venice, Italy
- Department of Economics, Ca' Foscari University, 30123 Venice, Italy
- ITIR-Institute for Transformative Innovation Research, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Federico Migliore
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, 35122 Padua, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Boriani
- Cardiology Division, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico di Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
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3
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Correale M, Croella F, Leopizzi A, Mazzeo P, Tricarico L, Mallardi A, Fortunato M, Magnesa M, Ceci V, Puteo A, Iacoviello M, Di Biase M, Brunetti ND. The Evolving Phenotypes of Cardiovascular Disease during COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2023; 37:341-351. [PMID: 34328581 PMCID: PMC8322635 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-021-07217-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the management of patients with acute and chronic cardiovascular disease: acute coronary syndrome patients were often not timely reperfused, heart failure patients not adequately followed up and titrated, atrial arrhythmias not efficaciously treated and became chronic. New phenotypes of cardiovascular patients were more and more frequent during COVID-19 pandemic and are expected to be even more frequent in the next future in the new world shaped by the pandemic. We therefore aimed to briefly summarize the main changes in the phenotype of cardiovascular patients in the COVID-19 era, focusing on new clinical challenges and possible therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesca Croella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Leopizzi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Pietro Mazzeo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Lucia Tricarico
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Adriana Mallardi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Martino Fortunato
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Michele Magnesa
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Ceci
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Massimo Iacoviello
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Matteo Di Biase
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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4
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Boriani G, Svennberg E, Guerra F, Linz D, Casado-Arroyo R, Malaczynska-Rajpold K, Duncker D, Boveda S, Merino JL, Leclercq C. Reimbursement practices for use of digital devices in atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias: a European Heart Rhythm Association survey. Europace 2022; 24:1834-1843. [PMID: 36040858 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euac142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Since digital devices are increasingly used in cardiology for assessing cardiac rhythm and detecting arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation (AF), our aim was to evaluate the expectations and opinions of healthcare professionals in Europe on reimbursement policies for the use of digital devices (including wearables) in AF and other arrhythmias. METHODS AND RESULTS An anonymous survey was proposed through announcements on the European Heart Rhythm Association website, social media channels, and mail newsletter. Two hundred and seventeen healthcare professionals participated in the survey: 32.7%, reported regular use of digital devices, 45.2% reported that they sometimes use these tools, 18.6% that they do not use but would like to. Only a minority (3.5%) reported a lack of trust in digital devices. The survey highlighted a general propensity to provide medical consultation for suspected AF or other arrhythmias detected by a consumer-initiated use of digital devices, even if time constraints and reimbursement availability emerged as important elements. More than 85% of respondents agreed that reimbursement should be applied for clinical use of digital devices, also in different settings such as post-stroke, post-cardioversion, post-ablation, and in patients with palpitations or syncope. Finally, 73.6% of respondents confirmed a lack of reimbursement fees in their country for physicians' consultations (tracings interpretation) related to digital devices. CONCLUSIONS Digital devices, including wearables, are increasingly and widely used for assessing cardiac rhythm and detecting AF, but a definition of reimbursement policies for physicians' consultations is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Boriani
- Cardiology Division, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico di Modena, Via del Pozzo, 71, 41124 Modena, Italy.,EHRA mHEALTH and Health Economics Section, European Heart Rhythm Association, Biot 06903, France
| | - Emma Svennberg
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 57 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Federico Guerra
- Cardiology and Arrhythmology Clinic, University Hospital 'Lancisi-Umberto I- Salesi', 60126 Ancona, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Dominik Linz
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben Casado-Arroyo
- Department of Cardiology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | | | - David Duncker
- Hannover Heart Rhythm Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Serge Boveda
- Cardiology-Heart Rhythm Management Department, Clinique Pasteur, 31076 Toulouse, France.,Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Josè Luis Merino
- Arrhythmia & Robotic EP Unit, University Hospital La Paz, Autonoma University, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Christophe Leclercq
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Rennes, 35033 Rennes cedex 9, France
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5
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Boriani G, Burri H, Svennberg E, Imberti JF, Merino JL, Leclercq C. Current status of reimbursement practices for remote monitoring of cardiac implantable electrical devices across Europe. Europace 2022; 24:1875-1880. [PMID: 35904006 PMCID: PMC9384581 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euac118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Remote monitoring (RM) of cardiac implantable electrical devices (CIEDs) is currently proposed as a standard of care for CIEDs follow-up, as recommended by major cardiology societies worldwide. By detecting a series of relevant device and patient-related parameters, RM is a valuable option for early detection of CIEDs' technical issues, as well as changes in parameters related to cardio-respiratory functions. Moreover, RM may allow longer spacing between in-office follow-ups and better organization of in-hospital resources. Despite these potential advantages, resulting in improved patient safety, we are still far from a widespread diffusion of RM across Europe. Reimbursement policies across Europe still show an important heterogeneity and have been considered as an important barrier to full implementation of RM as a standard for the follow-up of all the patients with pacemakers, defibrillators, devices for cardiac resynchronization, or implantable loop recorders. Indeed, in many countries, there are still inertia and unresponsiveness to the request for widespread implementation of RM for CIEDs, although an improvement was found in some countries as compared to years ago, related to the provision of some form of reimbursement. As a matter of fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has promoted an increased use of digital health for connecting physicians to patients, even if digital literacy may be a limit for the widespread implementation of telemedicine. CIEDs have the advantage of making possible RM with an already defined organization and reliable systems for data transmissions that can be easily implemented as a standard of care for present and future cardiology practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Haran Burri
- Cardiac Pacing Unit, Cardiology Service, University Hospital of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emma Svennberg
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jacopo Francesco Imberti
- Cardiology Division, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico di Modena, Via del Pozzo, 71, 41124 Modena, Italy,Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Josè Luis Merino
- University Hospital La Paz, Autonoma University, Arrhythmia & Robotic EP Unit, IdiPaz, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Christophe Leclercq
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Rennes, 35000 Rennes, France
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6
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Giansanti D, Morone G, Loreti A, Germanotta M, Aprile I. A Narrative Review of the Launch and the Deployment of Telemedicine in Italy during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10030415. [PMID: 35326894 PMCID: PMC8955340 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10030415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Telemedicine is making an important contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and to supporting the health domain. Its use has registered initial problems with often-patchy practise. The objective of this study was to analyze the launch and deployment of telemedicine in Italy through a narrative review. The narrative review faced two points of view: (a) the first point of view revised the institutional initiatives of the Italian government developed to promote the use of telemedicine; (b) the second point of view reviewed the evolution of scientific literature in the sector, with reference to the Italian situation. In the second point of view, we applied both a standard narrative checklist and an eligibility approach. The first point of view reported an analysis of national documents aimed at promoting, through indications and recommendations, the use of telemedicine. The second point of view analyzed 39 qualified references. The analysis highlighted: (a) that initially, there was a disorientation, followed by reflections that emerged immediately after; (b) a telemedicine application not only in the traditional sectors (e.g., diabetology, cardiology, oncology, neurology) but also in new and fields never explored before; and (c) a high level of acceptance and a desire to continue in the after-pandemic future (which emerged in some studies through dedicated questionnaires). The study offers stimuli for both stakeholders and scholars to improve the use of telemedicine during the pandemic and in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Giansanti
- Centro Nazionale Tecnologie Innovative in Sanità Pubblica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Giovanni Morone
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Sanità Pubblica, Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Alice Loreti
- Facoltà di Medicina e Psicologia, Università Sapienza, 00185 Roma, Italy;
| | - Marco Germanotta
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, 50143 Florence, Italy; (M.G.); (I.A.)
| | - Irene Aprile
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, 50143 Florence, Italy; (M.G.); (I.A.)
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7
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Omboni S, Padwal RS, Alessa T, Benczúr B, Green BB, Hubbard I, Kario K, Khan NA, Konradi A, Logan AG, Lu Y, Mars M, McManus RJ, Melville S, Neumann CL, Parati G, Renna NF, Ryvlin P, Saner H, Schutte AE, Wang J. The worldwide impact of telemedicine during COVID-19: current evidence and recommendations for the future. CONNECTED HEALTH 2022; 1:7-35. [PMID: 35233563 PMCID: PMC7612439 DOI: 10.20517/ch.2021.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has emerged worldwide as an indispensable resource to improve the surveillance of patients, curb the spread of disease, facilitate timely identification and management of ill people, but, most importantly, guarantee the continuity of care of frail patients with multiple chronic diseases. Although during COVID-19 telemedicine has thrived, and its adoption has moved forward in many countries, important gaps still remain. Major issues to be addressed to enable large scale implementation of telemedicine include: (1) establishing adequate policies to legislate telemedicine, license healthcare operators, protect patients' privacy, and implement reimbursement plans; (2) creating and disseminating practical guidelines for the routine clinical use of telemedicine in different contexts; (3) increasing in the level of integration of telemedicine with traditional healthcare services; (4) improving healthcare professionals' and patients' awareness of and willingness to use telemedicine; and (5) overcoming inequalities among countries and population subgroups due to technological, infrastructural, and economic barriers. If all these requirements are met in the near future, remote management of patients will become an indispensable resource for the healthcare systems worldwide and will ultimately improve the management of patients and the quality of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Omboni
- Clinical Research Unit, Italian Institute of Telemedicine, Solbiate Arno, Varese 21048, Italy
- Department of Cardiology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Raj S. Padwal
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Tourkiah Alessa
- Biomedical Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Béla Benczúr
- First Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology-Nephrology), Balassa Janos County Hospital, Szekszard 7100, Hungary
| | - Beverly B. Green
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, WA 98101, USA
| | - Ilona Hubbard
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Kazuomi Kario
- Department of Cardiology, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Nadia A. Khan
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Alexandra Konradi
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Saint Petersburg 197341, Russia
| | - Alexander G. Logan
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
- Sinai Health System, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Yuan Lu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06510, USA
| | - Maurice Mars
- Department of TeleHealth, School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Richard J. McManus
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
| | - Sarah Melville
- Division of Cardiology, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, New Brunswick E2L 4L2, Canada
| | | | - Gianfranco Parati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS San Luca, Milano 20149, Italy
| | - Nicolas F. Renna
- Unit of Hypertension, Hospital Español de Mendoza, School of Medicine, National University of Cuyo, IMBECU-CONICET, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Philippe Ryvlin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Hugo Saner
- ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research and Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Aletta E. Schutte
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney 2042, New South Wales, Australia
- Hypertension in Africa Research Team, South African Medical Research Council Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Jiguang Wang
- The Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
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8
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Rigante D. Telemedicine and the risk of overshadowing children with Kawasaki disease in a worldwide coronavirus pandemic climate. Intern Emerg Med 2021; 16:2027-2028. [PMID: 33582891 PMCID: PMC7882036 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-021-02662-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donato Rigante
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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9
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Digital literacy as a potential barrier to implementation of cardiology tele-visits after COVID-19 pandemic: the INFO-COVID survey. J Geriatr Cardiol 2021; 18:739-747. [PMID: 34659380 PMCID: PMC8501379 DOI: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of telemedicine has represented a new potential option for outpatient care. The aim of our study was to evaluate digital literacy among cardiology outpatients. METHODS From March to June 2020, a survey on telehealth among cardiology outpatients was performed. Digital literacy was investigated through six main domains: age; sex; educational level; internet access; availability of internet sources; knowledge and use of teleconference software programs. RESULTS The study included 1067 patients, median age 70 years, 41.3% females. The majority of the patients (58.0%) had a secondary school degree, but among patients aged ≥ 75 years old the most represented educational level was primary school or none. Overall, for internet access, there was a splitting between "never" (42.1%) and "every day" (41.0%), while only 2.7% answered "at least 1/month" and 14.2% "at least 1/week". In the total population, the most used devices for internet access were smartphones (59.0%), and WhatsApp represented the most used app (57.3%). Internet users were younger compared to non-internet users (63 vs. 78 years old, respectively) and with a higher educational level. Age and educational level were associated with non-use of internet (age-per 10-year increase odds ratio (OR) = 3.07, 95% CI: 2.54-3.71, secondary school OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.12-0.26, university OR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02-0.10). CONCLUSIONS Telemedicine represents an appealing option to implement medical practice, and for its development it is important to address the gaps in patients' digital skills, with age and educational level being key factors in this setting.
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