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El Aoufy K, Melis MR, Magi CE, Bellando-Randone S, Tamburini M, Bandini G, Moggi-Pignone A, Matucci-Cerinic M, Bambi S, Rasero L. Evidence for telemedicine heterogeneity in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases care: a scoping review. Clin Rheumatol 2024; 43:2721-2763. [PMID: 38985235 PMCID: PMC11330403 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-07052-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Telemedicine and digital health represent alternative approaches for clinical practice; indeed, its potential in healthcare services for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and disease monitoring is widely acknowledged. These are all crucial issues to consider when dealing with chronic Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs). The aim was to determine the current state of telemedicine in the field of rheumatology, considering the tools and devices in use as well as the Patient Reported Outcomes. A scoping review was performed following the PRISMA-ScR, retrieving articles through five databases from 1990 to 2022. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (I) adult patients with RMDs, (II) original research papers in the English language with available abstracts, and (III) telehealth and telemedicine are provided as healthcare services. Within the 62 included studies, multiple tools of telemedicine were used: 21/62 websites/online platforms, 18/62 mobile applications, 16/62 telephone contacts, 5/62 video-consultations, and 1/62 wearable devices. Outcomes were classified based on the economic, clinical, and humanistic framework. Clinical outcomes assessed through digital tools were pain, disease activity, and serum uric acid levels. Humanistic outcomes have been grouped according to four categories (e.g., mental and physical function, health management, and health perception). The heterogeneity of digital tools in the field of rheumatology highlights the challenge of implementing reliable research into clinical practice. Effective telerehabilitation models have been presented, and the use of a tight control strategy has also been mentioned. Future research should focus on establishing studies on other RMDs as well as summarizing and formulating clinical guidelines for RMDs. Key Points • Evidence for the usefulness of telemedicine and digital health for managing and monitoring rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases is progressively increasing. • Several digital tools effectively measure clinical and humanistic and patient reported outcomes in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. • Integrating diverse digital tools in rheumatology is challenging yet promising. • Future research should focus on developing standardized recommendations for practical use of telemedicine in daily practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadija El Aoufy
- Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy.
| | - Maria Ramona Melis
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Camilla Elena Magi
- Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Bellando-Randone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Matteo Tamburini
- University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Bandini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Alberto Moggi-Pignone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases (UnIRAR), IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Bambi
- Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Laura Rasero
- Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Viale Largo Brambilla, 3 - 50134, Florence, Italy
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Jackson LE, Edgil TA, Hill B, Owensby JK, Smith CH, Singh JA, Danila MI. Telemedicine in Rheumatology Care: A Systematic Review. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2022; 56:152045. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2022.152045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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