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Brimioulle M, Arih I, Pervaiz A, Patel W, Davies A, Sekyi-Djan M, Qureishi A, Chaidas K. The role of telephone clinics in ENT. J Laryngol Otol 2023; 137:914-920. [PMID: 36751912 DOI: 10.1017/s0022215123000129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This quality improvement project assessed the outcomes of telephone consultations for ENT patients in order to identify areas where telephone consultations may be useful in the long term. METHOD New ENT patient appointments in May 2019 and May 2020 were reviewed. Total outcomes as well as subspecialty-specific and presentation-specific outcomes were compared for telephone versus face-to-face consultations. RESULTS There were 638 consultations in total (465 in 2019 and 173 in 2020). Following telephone consultations, more patients were followed up and fewer patients were listed for surgery or discharged. Overall outcomes for subspecialties followed the general trend, albeit with a few variations. CONCLUSION Lack of clinical examination in telephone consultations likely affects confidence in making a diagnosis and therefore discharging or listing patients for surgery. Nevertheless, looking at specialty-specific and presentation-specific data, there may be a role for telephone consultations in selected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Brimioulle
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - I Arih
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - A Pervaiz
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - W Patel
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - A Davies
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - M Sekyi-Djan
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - A Qureishi
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - K Chaidas
- ENT Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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Koopirom P, Wiriyaamornchai P, Santeerapharp A. Telemedicine in Thai-otorhinolaryngology patients in COVID-19 situation; primary surveys. Digit Health 2022; 8:20552076221147795. [PMID: 36601287 PMCID: PMC9806494 DOI: 10.1177/20552076221147795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on various aspects of hospital management due to high rates of infection and increased preventive measures around the world. Physicians and patients alike are susceptible to the ongoing virus causing concern leading to loss or postpone of follow up. Thailand has just start integration of digital solutions such as telemedicine which expected similar level of medical care and efficiency while reducing risk of exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective Evaluation the willingness to accept telemedicine in otorhinolaryngology patients during the peak COVID-19 outbreaks in our institution. Methods Collected data from all patients who had a schedule follow up for otorhinolaryngology department between the months of June to August, 2021 at out-patient Center. Results Total of 299 otorhinolaryngology patients included, 213 patients (71.2%) denied a virtual medical visit whereas 86 patients (28.8%) accepted. The obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was the only group to have more acceptance of telemedicine, 79.5% than denying 20.5% with statistical significance (p < 0.01). Age difference between the accepting and declining group also showed statistical significance, 48.5 years and 56 years respectively (p < 0.01). Main Reasons for their decision, 48% of patients accepted due to experiencing clinical improvement and stability. The main reason for not accepting telemedicine was 80% of patients preferred a special otorhinolaryngologic examination on follow up. Conclusions This primary surveys among Thai otorhinolaryngology patients about telemedicine. The greater number of patients not interested in telemedicine due to requirement of otorhinolaryngologic examination. Which OSA follow-up patients have more attention in telemedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alena Santeerapharp
- Alena Santeerapharp, Department of
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot
University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Gwilt C, Metzger G, Jatana K, Bourgeois T, Walz P. Perceptions of telemedicine at a pediatric otolaryngology-head and neck surgery program. WORLD JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY 2022; 5:e000440. [DOI: 10.1136/wjps-2022-000440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveWith few studies investigating the effectiveness of telemedicine (TM) in pediatric otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat; ENT), its role in clinical practice is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate provider perspectives regarding utility of TM in pediatric ENT practice.MethodsA survey gauging the relative merits of TM visits for common pediatric ENT chief complaints and postoperative visits was distributed to all pediatric ENT providers at a tertiary care, free-standing children’s hospital. Respondents were asked to assess the effectiveness of TM visits compared with in-person visits for completing the following tasks: history collection, physical examination, medical decision-making, and patient counseling.ResultsProviders rated TM visits as less useful than in-person visits for completing the most predefined tasks but did identify advantages in history taking via TM for the majority of complaints. Compared with providers with ≥10 years of experience, those with <10 years of experience found TM to be more effective than the in-person appointment for making clinical decisions for patients presenting with recurrent/chronic pharyngitis, neck masses, and stridor/noisy breathing. Opinions regarding the utility of TM for postoperative visits were mixed, with adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy and superficial procedures being most frequently deemed appropriate for TM.ConclusionsThe introduction of TM to pediatric ENT faces limitations in detailed examination of areas not accessible without specialized instrumentation. Due to its strength in history taking, results suggest an asynchronous, ‘store and forward’ encounter followed by an in-person physical examination to confirm the diagnosis and treatment plan could be beneficial.
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Mena R, Mendoza E, Mangano FT, Henrickson M, Scott M, DeFoor WR, Little KJ, Ruschman J, Prada CE. International Pediatric Multidisciplinary Management Using Telemedicine to Promote Equitable Care. Telemed J E Health 2022; 29:674-685. [PMID: 36112346 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the use of telemedicine as a collaboration tool between a pediatrician and subspecialists looking to address challenges, such as the lack of health care specialists, which are present in the Dominican Republic. Study design: During this 6-year study, 65 patients were evaluated by a medical team consisting of a local pediatrician and 17 subspecialists from a leading academic medical center in the Unites States. Patient's age ranged from 2 months to 16 years of age (mean 8 years old). The most common reasons for referral were masses or malignancies, vascular malformations, urogenital anomalies, stuttering, and cochlear implant programming. Results: A total of 39 out of 65 cases (60%) carried an initial diagnosis. Of the 65 cases, a change in medical management occurred in 92.31% of cases (60 cases). There was no change in medical diagnosis or treatment in 5 of 65 cases (8%). Conclusion: This protocol exhibited high patient satisfaction with the technology and platform and direct patient savings from transportation costs. It also demonstrated the importance of thorough diagnosis in providing appropriate treatment and solutions. Telemedicine use in comparable practices should be studied further to aid in the development of policies for the diagnosis and management of chronic illnesses that require referrals to subspecialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Mena
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Centro de Obstetricia y Ginecologia, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Esperanza Mendoza
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Centro de Obstetricia y Ginecologia, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Francesco T. Mangano
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael Henrickson
- Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael Scott
- Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Audiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - William R. DeFoor
- Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Urology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kevin J. Little
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hand and Upper Extremity Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jennifer Ruschman
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Teleheath, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Carlos E. Prada
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, Birth Defects & Metabolism, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Schafer A, Mousset M, Kelly N, Althubaiti A, Bourgeois T, Elmaraghy CA. Assessing the use of telehealth for the surgical management of recurrent otitis media. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2022; 153:111036. [PMID: 34998205 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.111036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the incidence of middle ear effusion (MEE) at the time of bilateral tympanostomy tube insertion (BTI) for recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) patients initially seen in-office or via telehealth. METHODS After obtaining IRB approval from Nationwide Children's Hospital, a total of 524 patients evaluated for rAOM were retrospectively reviewed after being divided into two cohorts: those seen via a telehealth visit from April to June of 2020 (n = 140), and those seen via an in-person visit from April to June of 2019 (n = 384). Recommendation for BTI was captured for each patient following their visit. Clinical characteristics documented at the time of the visit, such as history of intramuscular (IM) antibiotic use and hearing or speech concerns were also captured to determine whether both telehealth and in-person cohorts were similar in clinical presentation. For BTI patients, the presence or absence of MEE in either ear at the time of BTI was recorded. Patients with cleft palate or prior BTI were excluded. RESULTS 51.43% (72/140) of patients in the telehealth cohort were recommended for BTI. Of those recommended, 87.50% (63/72) underwent BTI. Of these, 31.75% (20/63) had a MEE at the time of BTI. In the in-office cohort, 69.01% (265/384) of patients were recommended for BTI. Of those recommended, 92.83% (246/265) underwent BTI. Of these, 69.92% (172/246) had a MEE at the time of BTI. CONCLUSION There were significantly less middle ear effusions in the telehealth cohort compared to the in-office cohort (p < 0.0001). It is well understood that telehealth is limited in its physical exam capabilities. It is possible that the use of telehealth for the surgical management of rAOM may lead to more procedures on patients without MEE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Schafer
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Marike Mousset
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Natalie Kelly
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Abdulrahman Althubaiti
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tran Bourgeois
- The Center for Surgical Outcomes Research, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Charles A Elmaraghy
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Pediatric otolaryngology telemedicine amid a pandemic - And beyond. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2022; 153:111014. [PMID: 34974276 PMCID: PMC8713418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.111014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic catalyzed an unprecedented redesign and innovative overhaul of health care delivery thrusting from fringe to mainstream virtual care. With a return to conventional practice, we now must create a research and policy agenda using the changes wrought by COVID-19 to help create a better health care system in its aftermath. The purpose of this study was to assess satisfaction of otolaryngology outpatient visits during the pandemic. METHODS A prospective survey study was performed on caregivers of all patients ages 0-26 years old seen in the Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology at our large tertiary care children's hospital from February-April 2020. The three study groups were those seen in-person 6 weeks before telemedicine was implemented (IBTM), those seen in telemedicine during the first 6 weeks (TM) it was implemented at our hospital, and those seen in-person during the telemedicine period (IDTM) in the same timeframe. The survey consisted of satisfaction questions related to their visit, if their child was recommended surgery at the time of the visit, and if the caregiver agreed with the recommendation. A medical record review was also performed. RESULTS A total of 176 caregivers completed the survey with 113(64.2%) completing the survey for an IBTM appointment, 59(33.5%) for a TM appointment, and 4(2.3%) for an IDTM appointment. There were 100(56.8%) male patients and 167(94.9%) were white. Families gave a higher response for the statement "The ability to communicate with the physician" (p = .012) and "The overall outpatient experience" (p = .004) in the IBTM cohort compared to the TM group. There were no significant differences for the other statements regarding the ability to understand recommendations, courtesy, and knowledge of the physician. Regardless of group, 98.6% of caregivers agreed with surgical recommendation when surgery was recommended. However, when surgery was not recommended at the appointment, caregivers were 11x more likely to disagree with the surgical recommendations, OR:11.49,95%CI:1.44-91.38,p = .005. CONCLUSION We conclude that telemedicine was equally well received by patients as compared to traditional live assessments suggesting that virtual care is a viable post-pandemic paradigm change. Satisfaction was rated as "Good" or "Excellent", however, messaging when surgery is not recommended was less acceptable and must be improved to obtain increased caregivers' agreement in an era of shared decision making.
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Ohlstein JF, Ahmed OG, Garner J, Takashima M. Telemedicine in Otolaryngology in the COVID-19 Era: A Year Out. Cureus 2021; 13:e20794. [PMID: 35111474 PMCID: PMC8794398 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
One year ago, shortly after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we published our initial experience with telemedicine. We showed that during the early pandemic, there was a dramatic shift to telemedicine and that 70% of our patients would decline telemedicine in favor of an in-person visit. As clinical limitations and stay-at-home orders relaxed, we sought to define how we have used telemedicine since. After the initial month of the pandemic, our utilization of telemedicine fell to an average of only 5% of visits over the past year. Nearly 80% of all telemedicine visits were routine follow-up visits, with its usage being unaffected by local policy and pandemic surges. The usefulness and applications of telemedicine have been well described; however, after our initial reliance on telemedicine, its use has been minimal. Moving forward, attention will need to focus on innovation and expanding comprehensive virtual examinations for otolaryngology to fully embrace this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason F Ohlstein
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, St. Luke's University Hospital, Bethlehem, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, USA
| | - Omar G Ahmed
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, USA
| | - Jordan Garner
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, USA
| | - Masayoshi Takashima
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, USA
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Nguyen DK, Jueng J, Maul TM, Wei JL. Middle ear effusion prevalence at time of tympanostomy before and during COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 147:110785. [PMID: 34116322 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.110785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Management of pediatric otitis media with effusion (OME) and recurrent otitis media typically includes observation up to 3 months. Bilateral myringotomy and tube (BMT) placement is performed due to persistent effusion with associated symptoms such as decreased hearing. With the COVID-19 pandemic and mandatory stay at home orders (MSHO), children were quarantined at home and many remained home after MSHO. We reviewed the prevalence of middle ear effusion (MEE) at the time of BMT during similar time periods in the year before, during and after MSHO in this pandemic year. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective summary of BMT cases at a single tertiary children's hospital. METHODS All children <18 years who underwent BMT between March 1, 2020 and July 1, 2020 and between March 1, 2019 and July 1, 2019 were included. Statistical analysis included chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS A total of 778 cases were reviewed; 551 (71%) were performed pre-pandemic and 227 (29%) during onset of pandemic (N = 778). There were no significant differences in gender, age, and BMI between groups, but significantly fewer Caucasians (58% vs. 45%, p < 0.05) and more Hispanics (20% vs. 33%, p < 0.05) during-COVID. The prevalence of intraoperative effusion during-COVID was significantly lower compared to pre-COVID (65% vs. 83%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Pandemic and COVID-19 MSHO were associated with significantly lower intraoperative OME prevalence. Further research may elucidate the impact of face covering, social distancing, and virtual schooling on the incidence of pediatric ROM, OME, and ENT symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dang-Khoa Nguyen
- University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA.
| | - Jeremy Jueng
- University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Timothy M Maul
- Nemours Children's Hospital, Orlando, FL, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Julie L Wei
- Nemours Children's Hospital, Orlando, FL, USA
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Comparison of Pediatric Otolaryngology clinical and operative case volume among surgical specialties in the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 147:110806. [PMID: 34186302 PMCID: PMC9755317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.110806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To report changes in clinical and surgical volume impacting a Pediatric Otolaryngology division one year prior to and following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to five other pediatric surgical subspecialties. METHODS The number of clinical visits and surgical cases per month for six pediatric surgical specialties (Otolaryngology, Orthopedic Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, and General Surgery) for 12 months prior to the pandemic and 12 months following the onset of the pandemic was collected. Poisson regression analysis was performed for the number of visits and cases per season adjusting for specialty, season, staffing changes, and the pandemic to determine adjusted rate ratios (aRR) post-pandemic for the surgical fields compared to Otolaryngology. RESULTS A percentage decrease in median visits per paired month (-15.63%, IQR = -23.01, -1.66) and operative cases (-19.86%, IQR = -29.39, -10.17) was seen for Pediatric Otolaryngology. Regression analysis showed a significant negative effect on the number of visits (aRR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.70-0.77) and cases (aRR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.60-0.71) due to the pandemic. While many of the other specialties had predicted reductions in volume (notably Orthopedics), they all experienced significant predicted increases in productivity following the pandemic compared to Otolaryngology. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that Pediatric Otolaryngology is particularly vulnerable to this change in clinical pattern, which could be due to a decline in community infections from mask wearing and social distancing, and may result in a longer-term volume deficit when compared to other pediatric surgical subspecialties.
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