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Karasik D, Cabrera CI, Shammassian B, Wright JM, Bambakidis N, D'Anza B. Benefits of Neurosurgical Teleconsults in the Management of Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Transfers and Transportation Cost Reduction. World Neurosurg 2024:S1878-8750(24)01058-1. [PMID: 38936617 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.06.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our study explores the efficacy and economic benefits of neurosurgical teleconsultations in managing intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), focusing on reducing unnecessary patient transfers and associated costs. METHODS We conducted a cost-savings analysis at our institution of a previously published pilot study involving a cohort of patients with ICH who were potential candidates for airlift to our tertiary care center but instead received neurosurgical consultation via teleconsultation to avoid the transfer. Data on patient demographics, distances, and costs were collected and analyzed to assess the economic impact of teleconsultations. RESULTS The cohort comprised 14 patients; we noted significant cost savings from avoiding interhospital transfers, ranging from $84,346.52 to $120,495.03 per patient. Teleconsultations facilitated immediate, collaborative decision-making between healthcare providers at community hospitals and a tertiary care center, reducing the need for expensive air transportation and unnecessary hospital transfers. CONCLUSIONS Neurosurgical teleconsultations offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional patient transfer methods for ICH management, providing substantial economic benefits while maintaining high physician and patient-family satisfaction levels. This study underscores the potential of our teleneurosurgery program to significantly reduce costs by reducing unnecessary financial burdens on patients' families and healthcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Karasik
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Claudia I Cabrera
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Berje Shammassian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - James M Wright
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Nicholas Bambakidis
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Brian D'Anza
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Brian.D'
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Eslami Jahromi M, Ayatollahi H. Utilization of telehealth to manage the Covid-19 pandemic in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2023; 30:738-751. [PMID: 36565464 PMCID: PMC10018263 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocac250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has led to an increase in the use of telehealth technology. It seems that the application of this technology in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been limited, and few studies have been undertaken to review the current state of knowledge in this area. The aim of the present study was to explore the utilization of telehealth to manage the Covid-19 pandemic in LMICs. MATERIALS AND METHODS This scoping review was conducted in 2022. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest were searched, and all quantitative research, qualitative studies, case reports, and case studies related to the use of telehealth to manage Covid-19 in LMICs and published since 2020 were included in the study. The findings were analyzed and reported narratively. RESULTS In total, 18 articles were included in the research. These studies were conducted in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and East Asia and Oceania. Telehealth interventions included teleconsultation, telecoaching, teledermatology, televisit, mhealth applications, telerehabilitation, telepharmacy, and telepsychiatry. WhatsApp was the most common way for service delivery and in most studies, patients and health care providers were satisfied with services. CONCLUSION Although the use of telehealth interventions was limited in LMICs during the Covid-19 pandemic, in most cases, it was an effective solution to combat the outbreak of Covid-19 and had positive outcomes. A comparison between the characteristics and clinical effectiveness of similar interventions in different countries including LMICs are worth investigation in the future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Eslami Jahromi
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, 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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Pengput A, Schwartz DG. Telemedicine in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review. Telemed J E Health 2022; 28:1711-1733. [PMID: 35417250 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Telemedicine is an effective means of delivering health care in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. This systematic review explored the use of telemedicine systems for delivering health care services in SEA countries during the past 10 years. Methods: Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Medline, Global Health, and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials). The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) studies published between 2010 and 2021; (2) study settings located in SEA countries; (3) articles published in English; and (4) availability of a full-text version of the article. Information was extracted and evaluated for each study based on quality and risk of bias. Results: Thirty-seven of 6,554 records were eligible for inclusion. Studies included based on percentage were descriptive (29.73%), cost-effective (8.11%), randomized controlled trials (5.41%), and mixed methods (2.7%). Teleophthalmology and teleconsultation were the major reasons for using telemedicine, representing 21.62% of all studies. A hub-and-spoke and store-and-forward models were used. Free messenger applications supported communication modalities in or out of the systems. Discussion: The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic increased research studies on telemedicine, with most studies occurring in Singaporean hospitals (49%). Descriptive studies predominated, followed by retrospective and cross-sectional studies. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that telemedicine was a powerful tool. It is feasible, safe, effective, and less expensive than traditional methods. However, robust research is needed to fully investigate telemedicine systems in SEA countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuwat Pengput
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Diane G Schwartz
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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Nie JZ, Karras CL, Texakalidis P, Trybula SJ, Dahdaleh NS. A Systematic Review of Outpatient Telemedicine Use in Neurosurgery Since the Start of Coronavirus Disease 2019. World Neurosurg 2022; 167:e1090-e1102. [PMID: 36115568 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.08.145] [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: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has sparked interest in telemedicine, resulting in an increase in neurosurgical publications focused on it. We summarize this new literature to evaluate telemedicine applications to neurosurgery. METHODS A systematic literature review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines by searching PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for journal articles published after January 1, 2020. All journal articles that included data after the start of COVID-19 and evaluated any aspect of telemedicine relevant to outpatient neurosurgical visits were included. The premise and key findings of each included study were extracted, as well as patient and provider satisfaction with and preference for telemedicine. RESULTS Thirty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Four studies proposed and evaluated a remote neurologic examination. Two studies reported similar postvisit outcomes between remote and in-person visits. Twenty-four studies reported a combination of patient and provider opinions toward telemedicine. Of 9834 patients and 116 providers, 82.4% and 65.2% were satisfied overall with telemedicine, respectively. Of 3526 patients and 168 providers, 57.0% and 66.5% preferred telemedicine to in-person visits, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Overall, most patients and providers have a high opinion of telemedicine for outpatient visits, and increasing evidence suggests that remote visits yield favorable clinical outcomes. The high rates of patient and provider satisfaction and preference may be considered for further adoption of remote neurosurgical visits beyond the COVID-19 era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Z Nie
- Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
| | - Constantine L Karras
- Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Pavlos Texakalidis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - S Joy Trybula
- Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nader S Dahdaleh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Telemedicine in Surgical Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review. World J Surg 2022; 46:1855-1869. [PMID: 35428920 PMCID: PMC9012517 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-022-06549-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background Access to timely and quality surgical care is limited in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Telemedicine, defined as the remote provision of health care using information, communication and telecommunication platforms have the potential to address some of the barriers to surgical care. However, synthesis of evidence on telemedicine use in surgical care in LMICs is lacking. Aim To describe the current state of evidence on the use and distribution of telemedicine for surgical care in LMICs. Methods This was a scoping review of published and relevant grey literature on telemedicine use for surgical care in LMICs, following the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews guideline. PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and African Journals Online databases were searched using a comprehensive search strategy from 1 January 2010 to 28 February 2021. Results A total of 178 articles from 53 (38.7%) LMICs across 11 surgical specialties were included. The number of published articles increased from 2 in 2010 to 44 in 2020. The highest number of studies was from the World Health Organization Western Pacific region (n = 73; 41.0%) and of these, most were from China (n = 69; 94.5%). The most common telemedicine platforms used were telephone call (n = 71, 39.9%), video chat (n = 42, 23.6%) and WhatsApp/WeChat (n = 31, 17.4%). Telemedicine was mostly used for post-operative follow-up (n = 71, 39.9%), patient education (n = 32, 18.0%), provider training (n = 28, 15.7%) and provider-provider consultation (n = 16, 9.0%). Less than a third (n = 51, 29.1%) of the studies used a randomised controlled trial design, and only 23 (12.9%) reported effects on clinical outcomes. Conclusion Telemedicine use for surgical care is emerging in LMICs, especially for post-operative visits. Basic platforms such as telephone calls and 2-way texting were successfully used for post-operative follow-up and education. In addition, file sharing and video chatting options were added when a physical assessment was required. Telephone calls and 2-way texting platforms should be leveraged to reduce loss to follow-up of surgical patients in LMICs and their use for pre-operative visits should be further explored. Despite these telemedicine potentials, there remains an uneven adoption across several LMICs. Also, up to two-thirds of the studies were of low-to-moderate quality with only a few focusing on clinical effectiveness. There is a need to further adopt, develop, and validate telemedicine use for surgical care in LMICs, particularly its impact on clinical outcomes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00268-022-06549-2.
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Omer M, Al-Afif S, Machetanz K, Bettag C, Tatagiba M, Rohde V, Krauss JK. Impact of COVID-19 on the Neurosurgical Resident Training Program: an Early Experience. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2022; 83:321-329. [PMID: 35189640 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1743108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study evaluates the impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions during the first lockdown period in spring 2020 on the neurosurgical resident training program, and provides constructive approaches to deal with such situations. METHODS A concurrent embedded mixed methods design was used. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews from all neurosurgical residents at three university hospitals in Germany. Concurrently, quantitative data of the number of performed surgeries, outpatient visits, and the usage of telemedicine in the period from October 2019 to July 2020 were collected and analyzed accordingly. RESULTS During the period of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in spring 2020, there was a marked reduction in the number of surgeries performed by neurosurgical residents, from an average of 41.26 (median 41) surgeries per month to 25.66 (median 24) per month, representing a decrease of 37.80%. The decrease in the operations was concerning mainly spinal and functional surgery. Outpatient visits were reduced significantly, with a concurrent fivefold increase in the usage of telemedicine. General and pediatric neurosurgery outpatient clinics were the most affected. However, although surgical exposure was reduced during the lockdown phase, neurosurgical residents focused on conducting research and improving theoretical knowledge. Nevertheless, the global uncertainties caused by COVID-19 generated notable psychological stress among some residents. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions significantly affected the neurosurgical training program. Innovative solutions need to be developed to increase teaching and research capacities of neurosurgical residents as well as to improve surgical skills by installing surgical skill laboratories or similar constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazin Omer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Shadi Al-Afif
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kathrin Machetanz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Bettag
- Department of Neurosurgery, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marcos Tatagiba
- Department of Neurosurgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Veit Rohde
- Department of Neurosurgery, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joachim K Krauss
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Gachabayov M, Latifi LA, Parsikia A, Latifi R. The Role of Telemedicine in Surgical Specialties During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review. World J Surg 2021; 46:10-18. [PMID: 34743242 PMCID: PMC8572066 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-021-06348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the current body of evidence on the use of telemedicine in surgical subspecialties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This was a scoping review conducted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). MEDLINE via Ovid, PubMed, and EMBASE were systematically searched for any reports discussing telemedicine use in surgery and surgical specialties during the first period (February 2020–August 8, 2020) and second 6-month period (August 9–March 4, 2021) of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Of 466 articles screened through full text, 277 articles were included for possible qualitative and/or quantitative data synthesis. The majority of publications in the first 6 months were in orthopedic surgery, followed by general surgery and neurosurgery, whereas in the second 6 months of COVID-19 pandemic, urology and neurosurgery were the most productive, followed by transplant and plastic surgery. Most publications in the first 6 months were opinion papers (80%), which decreased to 33% in the second 6 months. The role of telemedicine in different aspects of surgical care and surgical education was summarized stratifying by specialty. Conclusion Telemedicine has increased access to care of surgical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, but whether this practice will continue post-pandemic remains unknown. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00268-021-06348-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahir Gachabayov
- Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center Health, New York Medical College, School of Medicine, Taylor Pavilion, Suite D334, 100 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA.,Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Lulejeta A Latifi
- Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center Health, New York Medical College, School of Medicine, Taylor Pavilion, Suite D334, 100 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA.,University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.,Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Afshin Parsikia
- Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center Health, New York Medical College, School of Medicine, Taylor Pavilion, Suite D334, 100 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA.,Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Rifat Latifi
- Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center Health, New York Medical College, School of Medicine, Taylor Pavilion, Suite D334, 100 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA. .,Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
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Patel S, Shlobin NA, Rosenow JM. Letter to the Editor Regarding "Application of Remote Deep Brain Stimulation Programming for Parkinson Disease Patients". World Neurosurg 2021; 155:199. [PMID: 34724736 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saarang Patel
- Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nathan A Shlobin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
| | - Joshua M Rosenow
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Ferraris KP, Yap MEC, Bautista MCG, Wardhana DPW, Maliawan S, Wirawan IMA, Rosyidi RM, Seng K, Navarro JE. Financial Risk Protection for Neurosurgical Care in Indonesia and the Philippines: A Primer on Health Financing for the Global Neurosurgeon. Front Surg 2021; 8:690851. [PMID: 34568413 PMCID: PMC8461295 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2021.690851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Which conditions treated by neurosurgeons cause the worst economic hardship in low middle-income in countries? How can public health financing be responsive to the inequities in the delivery of neurosurgical care? This review article frames the objectives of equity, quality, and efficiency in health financing to the goals of global neurosurgery. In order to glean provider perspectives on the affordability of neurosurgical care in low-resource settings, we did a survey of neurosurgeons from Indonesia and the Philippines and identified that the care of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with malignant intracranial tumors were found to incur the highest out-of-pocket expenses. Additionally, the surveyed neurosurgeons also observed that treatment of traumatic brain injury may have to require greater financial subsidies. It is therefore imperative to frame health financing alongside the goals of equity, efficiency, and quality of neurosurgical care for the impoverished. Using principles and perspectives from managerial economics and public health, we conceptualize an implementation framework that addresses both the supply and demand sides of healthcare provision as applied to neurosurgery. For the supply side, strategic purchasing enables a systematic and contractual management of payment arrangements that provide performance-based economic incentives for providers. For the demand side, conditional cash transfers similarly leverages on financial incentives on the part of patients to reward certain health-seeking behaviors that significantly influence clinical outcomes. These health financing strategies are formulated in order to ultimately build neurosurgical capacity in LMICs, improve access to care for patients, and ensure financial risk protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Paul Ferraris
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Manila, Philippines
- Department of Surgery, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, Las Piñas, Philippines
| | | | - Maria Cristina G. Bautista
- Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting, Graduate School of Business, Ateneo de Manila University, Makati, Philippines
| | - Dewa Putu Wisnu Wardhana
- Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Udayana University Hospital, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia
| | - Sri Maliawan
- Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Sanglah General Hospital, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia
| | - I Made Ady Wirawan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia
| | - Rohadi Muhammad Rosyidi
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, West Nusa Tenggara Province Hospital, Mataram University, Mataram, Indonesia
| | - Kenny Seng
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines College of Medicine, Manila, Philippines
| | - Joseph Erroll Navarro
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Manila, Philippines
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Silva AB, Sindico SRF, Carneiro AC, Henrique SM, Fernandes AG, Gomes JP, Marinho TP, Fernandes VR. COVID-19 Remote Consultation Services and Population in Health Inequity-Concentrating Territories: A Scoping Review. Telemed J E Health 2021; 27:881-897. [PMID: 34232749 PMCID: PMC8380793 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This review aimed to map initiatives for measuring the satisfaction of vulnerable populations with teleconsultation services offered by public and private health care providers in their territories, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Systematic studies on the opinions of people most affected by health inequities are limited. Therefore, we included evaluations of teleconsultation-based services offered to socioeconomically disadvantaged and clinically vulnerable populations globally, with a focus on surveillance, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This review includes analytical and descriptive observational studies primarily from MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases, published after the World Health Organization received the first warnings about COVID-19 from Chinese authorities in December, 2019, until December 2020. The search strategy combined aspects of COVID-19, telemedicine, patient satisfaction, and key concepts of vulnerable populations. Results: We selected 33 studies for full-text reading and 10 for critical appraisal. Two categories emerged from the qualitative analysis: telehealth evaluation and services during COVID-19, and opinions of vulnerable populations. Television and social networks play a crucial role in providing information. Although teleconsultations are practical and cost effective for patients, the majority preferred receiving in-person treatment in primary care clinics. Conclusions: Listening to the opinions of vulnerable groups and their caregivers is critical both before and during adoption of COVID-19 control measures. Health managers need to monitor the health of and delivery of services to socioeconomically and clinically vulnerable people closely, to improve services, and provide care from a human rights perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Baptista Silva
- National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sergio Ricardo Ferreira Sindico
- Institute of Scientific and Technological Communication and Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Joyker Peçanha Gomes
- Institute of Scientific and Technological Communication and Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thaysa Pereira Marinho
- Health Surveillance Department, Niterói Municipal Health Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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The COVID-19 Pandemic and Global Neurosurgery: The Situation in Japan and the Philippines. World Neurosurg 2021; 148:163-164. [PMID: 33515793 PMCID: PMC7839425 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.01.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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