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Abu Lekham L, Hey E, Canario J, Rivas Y, Felice A, Mantegna T, Wang Y, Khasawneh MT. A Predefined Rule-Based Multi-Factor Risk Stratification Is Associated With Improved Outcomes at a Rural Primary Care Practice. FAMILY & COMMUNITY HEALTH 2024; 47:248-260. [PMID: 38728117 DOI: 10.1097/fch.0000000000000405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
This study built a predefined rule-based risk stratification paradigm using 19 factors in a primary care setting that works with rural communities. The factors include medical and nonmedical variables. The nonmedical variables represent 3 demographic attributes and one other factor represents transportation availability. Medical variables represent major clinical variables such as blood pressure and BMI. Many risk stratification models are found in the literature but few integrate medical and nonmedical variables, and to our knowledge, no such model is designed specifically for rural communities. The data used in this study contain the associated variables of all medical visits in 2021. Data from 2022 were used to evaluate the model. After our risk stratification model and several interventions were adopted in 2022, the percentage of patients with high or medium risk of deteriorating health outcomes dropped from 34.9% to 24.4%, which is a reduction of 30%. The medium-complex patient population size, which had been 29% of all patients, decreased by about 4% to 5.7%. According to the analysis, the total risk score showed a strong correlation with 3 risk factors: dual diagnoses, the number of seen providers, and PHQ9 (0.63, 0.54, and 0.45 correlation coefficients, respectively).
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Affiliation(s)
- Laith Abu Lekham
- Author Affiliations: Data Department/Quality Division (Mr Abu Lekham), Executive Department/Quality Division (Ms Hey), Executive Department/Medical Division (Dr Canario), Behavioral Health Department/Medical Divison (Ms Felice), Executive Department/Support Service Division (Ms Rivas), Care Management Department/Division (Mr Mantegna)
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Moore SL, Grim S, Kessler R, Luna MLD, Miller DE, Thomas JF. Reduction of Environmental Pollutants and Travel Burden Through an Academic Medical Center-based Electronic Consultation Program. Telemed J E Health 2024; 30:1020-1025. [PMID: 38064483 PMCID: PMC11035922 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0435] [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] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: We evaluated the impact of electronic consultation (eConsult) in reducing the environmental pollutants associated with health care delivery. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the eConsult data between July 2018 and December 2022 was extracted from the electronic health record (Epic). Travel time and mileage from the patient home to the academic medical center (AMC) were calculated along with fuel expenditure and greenhouses gas savings. Projected savings through the end of the decade were forecast using a random walk model. Results: A total of 15,499 eConsults were submitted to AMC specialist providers from community primary care providers. Completed eConsults (n = 11,590) eliminated the need for a face-to-face visit with a specialist provider, eliminating mileage, fuel, time, and pollutants associated with face to face visits. In-state travel distance saved was 310,858 miles, travel time saved was 5,491 h, with an associated fuel reduction of 13,575 gallons and $56,893 savings. This reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 128 metric tons of carbon dioxide, 0.022 tons of nitrogen oxide, 0.005 tons of methane, and 0.001 tons of nitrous oxide. Out of state travel distance saved was 188,346 miles with 2,842 h reduced travel time, and associated fuel reduction of 8,225 gallons and of $34,118. Reduced greenhouse gas emissions were equivalent to 77 metric tons of carbon dioxide, 0.0132 tons of nitrogen oxide, 0.0033 tons of methane, and 0.0007 tons of nitrous oxide. Conclusion: This study indicates that medical care provided through telehealth modalities reduces the environmental impact of pollutants associated with face to face visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan L. Moore
- Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Stephanie Grim
- Peer Mentored Care Collaborative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Rodger Kessler
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Mayra Loera De Luna
- Peer Mentored Care Collaborative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Devin E. Miller
- Peer Mentored Care Collaborative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - John F. Thomas
- Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Peer Mentored Care Collaborative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Woo JL, Burton S, Iyengar T, Sivakumar A, Spiewak S, Wakulski R, Grobman WA, Davis MM, Yee LM, Patel A, Johnson JT, Patel S, Gandhi R. Patient-reported barriers to prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects: A mixed-methods study. Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:57-67. [PMID: 38108462 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To ascertain patient-reported, modifiable barriers to prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects (CHDs). METHODS This was a mixed-methods study among caretakers of infants who received congenital heart surgery from 2019 to 2020 in the Chicagoland area. Quantitative variables measuring sociodemographic characteristics and prenatal care utilization, and qualitative data pertaining to patient-reported barriers to prenatal diagnosis were collected from electronic health records and semi-structured phone surveys. Thematic analysis was performed using a convergent parallel approach. RESULTS In total, 160 caretakers completed the survey, 438 were eligible for survey, and 49 (31%) received prenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic. When comparing respondents and non-respondents, there was a lower prevalence of maternal Hispanic ethnicity and a higher prevalence of non-English/Spanish-speaking households. Of all respondents, 34% reported an undetected CHD on ultrasound or echocardiogram, while 79% reported at least one barrier to prenatal diagnosis related to social determinants of health. Among those social barriers, the most common were difficulty with appointment scheduling (n = 12, 9.5%), far distance to care/lack of access to transportation (n = 12, 9.5%) and difficulty getting time off work to attend appointments (n = 6, 4.8%). The latter two barriers were correlated. CONCLUSION While technical improvements in the detection of CHDs remain an important area of research, it is equally critical to produce evidence for interventions that mitigate barriers to prenatal diagnosis due to social determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce L Woo
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Shelvonne Burton
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Stanley Manne Children's Health Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tara Iyengar
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Advocate Christ Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Adithya Sivakumar
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sarah Spiewak
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Advocate Christ Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Renee Wakulski
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Advocate Christ Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - William A Grobman
- Division of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew M Davis
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Stanley Manne Children's Health Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Division of Advanced General Pediatrics & Primary Care, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lynn M Yee
- Division of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Angira Patel
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Joyce T Johnson
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
| | - Sheetal Patel
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rupali Gandhi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Advocate Christ Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Section of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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4
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Mannarino S, Calcaterra V, Fini G, Foppiani A, Sanzo A, Pisarra M, Infante G, Marsilio M, Raso I, Santacesaria S, Zuccotti G. A pediatric telecardiology system that facilitates integration between hospital-based services and community-based primary care. Int J Med Inform 2024; 181:105298. [PMID: 37972482 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2023.105298] [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] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telecardiology has emerged as a vital field within telemedicine, fostering collaboration between hospital and community medicine. This pilot study introduces an innovative pediatric telecardiology system, comprising a telecardiology system seamlessly integrated with a hospital telemedicine platform. A smooth flow of ECG execution, transmission, and reporting between Primary Care Pediatrician clinics and the hospital was tested as the primary objective. User experience surveys were also considered. METHODS The study involved three Primary Care Pediatrician clinics, and the enrollment of children took place consecutively from January to July 2023. We integrated a digital electrocardiographic signal acquisition unit and online information transmission-capable tablets, that were provided to the pediatricians, with a telemedicine multitenant platform that facilitated the transmission of the patient's ECG data from the community to the Hospital Pediatric Cardiologist. RESULTS A total of 158 children (80 M/78F, 8.9 ± 2.8 yrs) underwent ECG recording (78.5 % medical certificates, 21.5 % presence of symptoms) The transmission and reporting of ECGs were successfully completed in all cases, without technical issues. Normal findings on the ECG were demonstrated in 94.9 % of children. 70.8 % of respondents completed all parts of the survey. Respondents had a high level of education (90 %) and demonstrated excellent or good competence in using digital technologies (89 %). 51 % of respondents were not familiar with the term "Telemedicine" and 81 % of the cases had no previous telemedicine experience. 90 % of users were very satisfied or satisfied with the service. Connection problems (2.8 %) and concerns about the service's reliability compared to standard care (3.7 %) were mentioned as possible limitations of the telecardiology. CONCLUSIONS Our pediatric telecardiology system offers a valuable diagnostic tool to enhance patient management in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savina Mannarino
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Calcaterra
- Pediatric and Adolescent Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Pediatric Department, Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy.
| | - Giulia Fini
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Foppiani
- International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; IRCCS Auxologico, Clinical Nutrition Unit, Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Milan 20145, Italy
| | - Antonio Sanzo
- Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Martina Pisarra
- Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods (DEMM), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriele Infante
- Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods (DEMM), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Marsilio
- Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods (DEMM), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Raso
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Santacesaria
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Gianvincenzo Zuccotti
- Pediatric Department, Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
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Carvalho JS, Axt-Fliedner R, Chaoui R, Copel JA, Cuneo BF, Goff D, Gordin Kopylov L, Hecher K, Lee W, Moon-Grady AJ, Mousa HA, Munoz H, Paladini D, Prefumo F, Quarello E, Rychik J, Tutschek B, Wiechec M, Yagel S. ISUOG Practice Guidelines (updated): fetal cardiac screening. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 61:788-803. [PMID: 37267096 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J S Carvalho
- Royal Brompton Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust; and Fetal Medicine Unit, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - R Axt-Fliedner
- Division of Prenatal Medicine & Fetal Therapy, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany
| | - R Chaoui
- Center of Prenatal Diagnosis and Human Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - J A Copel
- Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, and Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - B F Cuneo
- Children's Hospital Colorado, The Heart Institute, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - D Goff
- Pediatrix Cardiology of Houston and Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - L Gordin Kopylov
- Obstetrical Unit, Shamir Medical Center (formerly Assaf Harofeh Medical Center), Zerifin, Israel; and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - K Hecher
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - W Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A J Moon-Grady
- Clinical Pediatrics, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - H A Mousa
- Fetal Medicine Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - H Munoz
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidad de Chile and Clinica Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - D Paladini
- Fetal Medicine and Surgery Unit, IRCCS Istituto G. Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - F Prefumo
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, IRCCS Istituto G. Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - E Quarello
- Image 2 Center, Obstetrics and Gynecologic Department, St Joseph Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - J Rychik
- Fetal Heart Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - B Tutschek
- Pränatal Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; and Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - M Wiechec
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - S Yagel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center, Mt. Scopus and the Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Desai P, Kazmi SH, Schneider S, Angert R. Virtual Care Across the Neonatal Intensive Care Continuum. Cureus 2023; 15:e35183. [PMID: 36960267 PMCID: PMC10029832 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.35183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the need for establishing effective parent and family engagement throughout all aspects of medicine. Though there has been some discussion in the literature regarding the transition from typical outpatient visits to telehealth visits, there has been less written about the inpatient approach to family inclusion. Here, we seek to describe our institution's experience with implementing virtual medicine across the full continuum of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience, including inpatient rounding, child life family visits, and outpatient high-risk developmental follow-up after discharge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purnahamsi Desai
- Pediatrics, New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Sadaf H Kazmi
- Pediatrics, New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Stacey Schneider
- Child Life, New York University (NYU) Langone Health, New York, USA
| | - Robert Angert
- Pediatrics, New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA
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7
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Haxel CS, Johnson JN, Hintz S, Renno MS, Ruano R, Zyblewski SC, Glickstein J, Donofrio MT. Care of the Fetus With Congenital Cardiovascular Disease: From Diagnosis to Delivery. Pediatrics 2022; 150:189887. [PMID: 36317976 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-056415c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of congenital cardiovascular disease including structural cardiac defects, abnormalities in cardiac function, and rhythm disturbances can be identified prenatally using screening obstetrical ultrasound with referral for fetal echocardiogram when indicated. METHODS Diagnosis of congenital heart disease in the fetus should prompt assessment for extracardiac abnormalities and associated genetic abnormalities once maternal consent is obtained. Pediatric cardiologists, in conjunction with maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, and cardiothoracic surgery subspecialists, should counsel families about the details of the congenital heart defect as well as prenatal and postnatal management. RESULTS Prenatal diagnosis often leads to increased maternal depression and anxiety; however, it decreases morbidity and mortality for many congenital heart defects by allowing clinicians the opportunity to optimize prenatal care and plan delivery based on the specific lesion. Changes in prenatal care can include more frequent assessments through the remainder of the pregnancy, maternal medication administration, or, in selected cases, in utero cardiac catheter intervention or surgical procedures to optimize postnatal outcomes. Delivery planning may include changing the location, timing or mode of delivery to ensure that the neonate is delivered in the most appropriate hospital setting with the required level of hospital staff for immediate postnatal stabilization. CONCLUSIONS Based on the specific congenital heart defect, prenatal echocardiogram assessment in late gestation can often aid in predicting the severity of postnatal instability and guide the medical or interventional level of care needed for immediate postnatal intervention to optimize the transition to postnatal circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin S Haxel
- The University of Vermont Children's Hospital, Burlington, Vermont
| | | | - Susan Hintz
- Stanford University, Lucille Salter Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, California
| | - Markus S Renno
- University Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | | | | | - Julie Glickstein
- Columbia University Vagelos School of Medicine, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, New York
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Chuo J, Makkar A, Machut K, Zenge J, Jagarapu J, Azzuqa A, Savani RC. Telemedicine across the continuum of neonatal-perinatal care. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 27:101398. [PMID: 36333212 PMCID: PMC9623499 DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2022.101398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John Chuo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Abhishek Makkar
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Kerri Machut
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jeanne Zenge
- Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jawahar Jagarapu
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Abeer Azzuqa
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rashmin C. Savani
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Sandhu T, DeShea L, Jagarapu J, Savani RC, Chuo J, Azzuqa A, Beasley WH, Hallford G, Makkar A. Multicenter study assessing physicians' and transport teams' attitudes and expectations about utilizing telemedicine to manage critical neonatal transports. J Telemed Telecare 2022:1357633X221104563. [PMID: 35765233 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x221104563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Managing critically ill neonates has unique challenges, and the transport team plays an important role in stabilizing and facilitating the transfer of these neonates from lower-level nurseries to tertiary centers, and the use of telemedicine in transport (tele-transport) can potentially benefit patient care. We conducted a multicenter study to assess the readiness for utilizing telemedicine as an adjunct to guide the care of critically ill neonates among physicians and transport team members (TTMs). This is the first multicenter study that explored physicians' and TTMs' perceptions of telemedicine usage and its value in neonatal transport. METHODS A confidential, voluntary survey on pre-implementation attitudes toward telemedicine usage during neonatal transport was conducted as part of a quality improvement initiative. This survey involved physicians and TTMs from four academic institutions whose responses were entered into an online survey using REDCap®. The survey inquired about satisfaction with the current practice of phone consultation and the perception of using telemedicine to optimize the management of neonates during transport. RESULTS The overall response rate for the survey was 60.1%; 82 of 127 (64.6%) physicians and 64 of 116 (55.2%) TTMs responded to the surveys. Half of the physicians and less than one-fourth of the TTMs had prior experience with telemedicine other than that used on neonatal transport. TTMs expressed greater concern about the inconvenience of video (55% vs. physicians 35% agree or strongly agree) and its time consumption (84% vs. physicians 50%). More than 70% of physicians and less than half of TTMs endorsed the potential for added value and quality improvement with video capability. Almost half of TTMs reported concern about video calls reducing their autonomy in patient care. Physicians expressed confidence in management decisions they would make after video calls (72% confident or very confident) and less confidence (49%) about both the phone assessment by TTMs and their decisions based on phone assessment. In contrast, TTMs were confident or very confident (94%) in both sharing their assessment over the phone and executing patient management after a phone call, compared with 70% for decisions made after video calls. CONCLUSIONS Physicians and TTMs had distinct opinions on the use of telemedicine during neonatal transport. Physicians were more likely than TTMs to agree with statements about the potential for improving quality of care, while TTMs were more likely than physicians to say video calls would be time-consuming and inconvenient. We speculate some differences may stem from the TTMs' concern about losing their autonomy. Therefore, during implementation, it is critical for physicians and TTMs to agree on a shared mental model of indications for telemedicine during transport and its value to the patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tavleen Sandhu
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, 6186The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Lise DeShea
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, 6186The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jawahar Jagarapu
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rashmin C Savani
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John Chuo
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, 6567Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Abeer Azzuqa
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 12317University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine/UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - William H Beasley
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, 6186The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Gene Hallford
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, 6186The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Abhishek Makkar
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Department of Pediatrics, 6186The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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10
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Mohammadzadeh N, Rezayi S, Tanhapour M, Saeedi S. Telecardiology interventions for patients with cardiovascular Disease: A systematic review on characteristics and effects. Int J Med Inform 2021; 158:104663. [PMID: 34922178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The prevalence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases are high worldwide. Telecardiology can be used to diagnose and treat these diseases. This paper aimed to review the effectiveness (positive and negative) of implemented telecardiology services in terms of clinical, economic, and patient-reported aspects. METHODS A comprehensive search was conducted in Medline (through PubMed), Scopus, ISI web of science, and IEEE Xplore databases from inception to April 7, 2021. the studies that examined the effectiveness of telecardiology interventions were included. RESULTS Fifty studies were included in this systematic review. Most investigations (22%) were conducted in the US. In 22% of studies, telecardiology intervention was used for patients with heart failure. Telecardiology has been used in most studies for tele-monitoring (n = 21, 42%) and tele-consultation (n = 17, 34%) and in 29 studies (58%), was applied for ECG transmission. The highest rate of effects reported by studies was clinical. Thirty-five studies (70%) reported the clinical effects; twenty-one studies reported the positive effects for the economic category, and fifteen studies reported the positive effect for patient-reported class. The most positive clinical effects of telecardiology were early diagnosis, early treatment, and mortality reduction. The most positive effect of the economic class was the reduction of health care costs. The most effects of the patient-reported category were improving the patient's quality of life and patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION Telecardiology can help early diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It also has great potential in reducing health care costs and increasing quality of life and patient satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Mohammadzadeh
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sorayya Rezayi
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Tanhapour
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soheila Saeedi
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Farshchian Heart Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Health Information Management and Medical Informatics Department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Abstract
The regionalization of neonatal care was implemented with an overarching goal to improve neonatal outcomes.1 This led to centralized neonatal care in urban settings that jeopardized the sustainability of the community level 2 and level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in medically underserved areas.2 Coupled with pediatric subspecialist and allied health professional workforce shortages, regionalization resulted in disparate and limited access to subspecialty care.3-6 Innovative telemedicine technologies may offer an alternative and powerful care model for infants in geographically isolated and underserved areas. This chapter describes how telemedicine offerings of remote pediatric subspecialty and specialized programs may bridge gaps of access to specialized care and maintain the clinical services in community NICUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer Azzuqa
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Abhishek Makkar
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Kerri Machut
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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12
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Barbosa W, Zhou K, Waddell E, Myers T, Dorsey ER. Improving Access to Care: Telemedicine Across Medical Domains. Annu Rev Public Health 2021; 42:463-481. [PMID: 33798406 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090519-093711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, the use of telemedicine has increased exponentially. Its fundamental aim is to improve access to care. In this review, we assess the extent to which telemedicine has fulfilled this promise across medical domains. Additionally, we assess whether telemedicine has improved related health outcomes. Finally, we determine who has benefited from this novel form of health care delivery. A review of the literature indicates that (a) telemedicine has improved access to care for a wide range of clinical conditions ranging from stroke to pregnancy; (b) telemedicine in select circumstances has demonstrated improved health outcomes; and (c) telemedicine has addressed geographical, but less so social, barriers to care. For telemedicine to fulfill its promise, additional evidence needs to be gathered on health outcomes and cost savings, the digital divide needs to be bridged, and policy changes that support telemedicine reimbursement need to be enacted.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Barbosa
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA;
| | - Kina Zhou
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - Emma Waddell
- Center for Health + Technology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - Taylor Myers
- Center for Health + Technology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - E Ray Dorsey
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA; .,Center for Health + Technology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
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13
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Schwartz BN, Klein JH, Barbosa MB, Hamersley SL, Hickey KW, Ahmadzia HK, Broth RE, Pinckert TL, Sable CA, Donofrio MT, Krishnan A. Expanding Access to Fetal Telecardiology During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Telemed J E Health 2021; 27:1235-1240. [PMID: 33513044 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This study aims to describe one center's experience in expanding a fetal telecardiology program through collaborative work with maternal fetal medicine (MFM) clinics with the goal of safely reaching mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to define the extent of fetal telehealth conversion at a large fetal cardiac care center and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy for studies performed. Methods: At our center, fetal telemedicine expanded from one MFM site before the pandemic to four additional sites by May 2020. A retrospective review of fetal telecardiology visits between March 15 and July 15, 2020, was performed. The chart was reviewed for confirmation of diagnosis postnatally. Results: With pandemic onset, there was a large increase in the number of telemedicine visits with a total of 122 mothers seen between five MFM clinics. Fourteen mothers (11.5%) had abnormal fetal echocardiograms requiring additional follow-up, and seven mothers (5.8%) had a fetal echocardiogram suspicious for a critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). All the fetal echocardiograms suspicious for CCHD were confirmed on postnatal echocardiogram. To our knowledge, none of the normal fetal echocardiograms were found to have congenital heart disease postnatally. Conclusions: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we rapidly transitioned to fetal telecardiology using a variety of formats. This has reduced potential infectious exposure for pregnant mothers and minimized contact between physicians without compromising diagnostic accuracy. In our experience, the expansion of a telemedicine program requires strong initial infrastructure, prior relationships with MFM providers, and appropriate training among obstetric sonographers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryanna N Schwartz
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Jennifer H Klein
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Megan B Barbosa
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sheri L Hamersley
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Associates of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Kimberly W Hickey
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Associates of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland, USA.,The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Homa K Ahmadzia
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Richard E Broth
- TLC Perinatal PA, Silver Spring, Germantown and Hagerstown, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas L Pinckert
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.,Greater Washington Maternal Fetal Medicine and Genetics, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Craig A Sable
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Mary T Donofrio
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Anita Krishnan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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14
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Implementation of a statewide, multisite fetal tele-echocardiography program: evaluation of more than 1100 fetuses over 9 years. J Perinatol 2020; 40:1524-1530. [PMID: 32382116 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0677-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We sought to describe the implementation and effectiveness of a statewide fetal tele-echocardiography program serving a resource-limited population. STUDY DESIGN In 2009, our heart center established six satellite clinics for fetal tele-echocardiography around the state. We retrospectively reviewed all fetal tele-echocardiograms performed through 2018. Yearly statewide prenatal detection rates of operable congenital heart disease were queried from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. RESULT In 1164 fetuses, fetal tele-echocardiography identified all types of congenital heart disease, with a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 97%. For the detection of ductal-dependent congenital heart disease, fetal tele-echocardiography was 100% sensitive and specific. Between 2009 and 2018, annual statewide prenatal detection rates of congenital heart disease requiring heart surgery in the first 6 months of life rose by 159% (17-44%; R2 = 0.88, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The present study provides a framework for an effective, large-scale fetal tele-echocardiography program.
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15
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Wong HY, Marcu LG, Bezak E, Parange NA. Review of Health Economics of Point-of-Care Testing Worldwide and Its Efficacy of Implementation in the Primary Health Care Setting in Remote Australia. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2020; 13:379-386. [PMID: 32440241 PMCID: PMC7212773 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s247774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There are important differences concerning health outcomes between the Australian population living in rural/remote regions and the urban population. Health care provision in remote areas, particularly in regions with a low number of inhabitants, is not without challenges. Aboriginal, rural and remote communities are therefore affected, as they face various obstacles in accessing health services, owing to geographical settings, difficulties in transportation to nearby hospitals, limited or inexistent local qualified personnel. The implementation of point-of-care testing could be a plausible solution to these challenges, as various point-of-care services that have been successfully put into action worldwide indicate towards positive clinical outcomes. Point-of-care units have a real potential in reducing morbidity and mortality in all population groups. This article aims to review the published literature on point-of-care testing around the world, with a focus on health economics and the feasibility of its implementation in Australian rural and remote regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoi Yan Wong
- Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Loredana G Marcu
- Faculty of Informatics & Science, University of Oradea, Oradea 410087, Romania.,Cancer Research Institute and School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Eva Bezak
- Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.,Cancer Research Institute and School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.,Department of Physics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Nayana Anupam Parange
- Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.,Cancer Research Institute and School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
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