Analysis of the costs of teleconsultation for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in the SUS.

OBJECTIVE: To present the results of a cost analysis of remote consultations (teleconsultations) compared to in-person consultations for patients with type 2 diabetes, in the Brazilian public healthcare system (SUS) in the city of Joinville, Santa Catarina (SC). In addition to the costs from the local manager's perspective, the article also presents estimates from the patient's perspective, based on the transportation costs associated with each type of consultation. METHOD: Data were collected from 246 consultations, both remote and in-person, between 2021 and 2023, in the context of a randomized clinical trial on the impact of teleconsultation carried out in the city of Joinville, SC. Teleconsultations were carried out at Primary Health Units (PHU) and in-person consultations at the Specialized Health Center. The consultation costs were calculate by the method time and activity-based costing (TDABC), and for the estimate of transportation costs data was collected directly from the research participants . The mean costs and time required to carry out each type of consultation in different scenarios and perspectives were analyzed and compared descriptively. RESULTS: Considering only the local SUS manager's perspective, the costs for carrying out a teleconsultation were 4.5% higher than for an in-person consultation. However, when considering the transportation costs associated with each patient, the estimated value of the in-person consultation becomes 7.7% higher and, in the case of consultations in other municipalities, 15% higher than the teleconsultation. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that the incorporation of teleconsultation within the SUS can bring economic advantages depending on the perspective and scenario considered, in addition to being a strategy with the potential to increase access to specialized care in the public network.

The Teledermatology Experience: Cost Savings and Image Quality Control.

Introduction: Teledermatology adoption continues to increase, in part, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyzes the utility and cost savings of a store-and-forward teledermatology consultative system within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Methods: Retrospective cohort of 4,493 patients across 14 remote sites in Tennessee and Kentucky from May 2017 through August 2019. The study measured the agreement between the teledermatology diagnoses and follow-up face-to-face clinic evaluations as well as the cost effectiveness of the teledermatology program over the study period. Results: Fifty-four percent of patients were recommended for face-to-face appointment for biopsy or further evaluation. Most patients, 80.5% received their face-to-face care by a VA dermatologist. There was a high level of concordance between teledermatologist and clinic dermatologist for pre-malignant and malignant cutaneous conditions. Veterans were seen faster at a VA clinic compared with a community dermatology site. Image quality improved as photographers incorporated teledermatologist feedback. From a cost perspective, teledermatology saved the VA system $1,076,000 in community care costs. Discussion: Teledermatology is a useful diagnostic tool within the VA system providing Veteran care at a cost savings.

Positive environmental impact of remote teleconsultation in urology during the COVID-19 pandemic in a highly populated area.

INTRODUCTION: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are a serious environmental issue. The healthcare sector is an important emitter of GHGs. Our aim was to assess the environmental cost of teleconsultations in urology compared to face-to-face consultations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective study of all patients who had a remote teleconsultation over a 2-week period during COVID-19 pandemic. Main outcome was the reduction in CO2e emissions related to teleconsultation compared to face-to-face consultation and was calculated as: total teleconsultation CO2e emissions-total face-to-face consultation CO2e emissions. Secondary outcome measures were the reduction in travel distance and travel time related to teleconsultation. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included. Face-to-face consultations would have resulted in 6699km (4162 miles) of travel (83.7km (52 miles) per patient). Cars were the usual means of transport. CO2e avoided due to lack of travel was calculated at 1.1 tonnes. Teleconsultation was responsible for 1.1kg CO2e while face-to-face consultation emitted 0.5kg of CO2e. Overall, the total reduction in GHGs with teleconsultation was 1141kg CO2e, representing a 99% decrease in emissions. Total savings on transport were 974 € and savings on travel time were 112h (1.4h/patient). CONCLUSIONS: Teleconsultation reduces the environmental impact of face-to-face consultations. The use of teleconsultation in our urology departments resulted in the avoidance of more than 6000km of travel, equivalent to a reduction of 1.1 tonnes of CO2e. Teleconsultation should be considered for specific indications as the healthcare system attempts to become greener. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Trends in Neurosurgical Teleconsultation Services Across the Globe During COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Global use of telemedicine has increased rapidly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to bridge the gap in existing health care services. Intercontinental trends in neurosurgeons' perception and practices of telemedicine have been sparingly reported. METHODS: We conducted an online anonymized and validated survey using a structured questionnaire to gain insight into neurosurgeons' experience with telemedicine across various continents and rated its usefulness on a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: We received 286 responses across 5 continents. There was a trend to support a major paradigm shift favoring teleconsultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in respondents from North America (P = 0.06). Signed prescriptions were e-mailed along with video-based teleconsultations preferentially in Europe and North America. In comparison, audio- or text-based teleconsultations along with unsigned prescriptions were prevalent in Asia and Africa (P = 0.0005). Acceptability and perceived usefulness for telemedicine during the pandemic were similar across the globe, regardless of neurosurgeons' experience (mean satisfaction score 3.72 ± 1.09; P = 0.62). A majority of neurosurgeons from Asia and South America complained of difficulties during teleconsultations owing to lack of appropriate infrastructure, internet connectivity/prescription-related issues, and potential risk of litigation (P = 0.0005). Approximately 46% of neurosurgeons, predominantly from Europe and North America, thought that telemedicine could play a vital role in clinical practice even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides (mean satisfaction score 3.26 ± 1.16; P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine in neurosurgery is a viable alternative to physical outpatient services during the COVID-19 pandemic and could potentially play a vital role after the pandemic.

Impact of technology on community nursing during the pandemic.

The purpose of this article is critical analysis, reflection and discussion in regards to the uses and impacts technology has had in community settings, specifically care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be investigated and supported with special emphasis on virtual assessment platforms and their use within the care homes settings, furthermore reviewing specific data collected in relation to the usage within community care homes. The article will outline the positive attributes and critically reflect upon the benefits of using audio and video conferencing when assessing patients and the beneficial impacts this has had on patients and the wider health community. While conversely addressing the obstacles and threats faced by clinicians in the use of assessment software.

Value-based approach to blood pressure telemonitoring and remote counseling in hypertensive patients.

PURPOSE: Blood pressure telemonitoring and remote counselling (BPTM) improves blood pressure (BP) control in patients with hypertension (HTN). Studies assessing the efficacy of BPTM from a value-based perspective are lacking. We investigated whether BPTM fits all principles of the value-based approach (clinical and economic effectiveness, improvement in patient-reported outcome/experience measures (PROM/PREM)). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and forty ambulatory patients with uncontrolled HTN were randomised in a 2: 1 manner to BPTM (n = 160, mean age 47 y.o.) and usual care (UC, n = 80; 49 y.o.) with baseline and 3-month follow-up clinic visits. BPTM employed a mobile application (for patients) and a desktop version (for clinician), which allowed communication and exchange of medical data. The main outcomes were changes in office and ambulatory systolic (S) BPs, rate of BP control. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) were evaluated in economic analysis. The MOS SF-36 score was taken as a PROM, and the PEQ score was used as a PREM. RESULTS: Larger decreases in office and ambulatory SBPs (-16.8 and -8.9 mm Hg, respectively; p < .05) was achieved in BPTM group while the treatment intensity was equal (2.4 drugs). The ICER 11.1 EUR/-1 mm Hg 24-hour SBP/1 year was 75% effective as per willingness-to-pay threshold. BPTM improved PROM (+2.1 in mean MOS SF-36; p = .04), reduced long-term mortality (+0.11 life years gained), leading to +0.49 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained as compared with UC. The ICUR was 4 169.4 EUR/QALY gained. Patient-reported experience was higher in the BPTM (+10 PEQ, p = .01). The UC group showed minor changes in MOS SF-36 and PEQ (+1.3; +6, respectively; p n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: Being cost-effective, BPTM incorporates both clinical benefits and patient-perceived value. Larger randomised studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Telemedicine and Community Health Projects in Asia.

Telemedicine has the potential to deliver high-quality, affordable health care to underserved populations that otherwise would not have adequate access to care. The authors provide a snapshot of several telemedicine initiatives that have used information and communication technologies to connect patients with health care providers across various Asian countries with differing socioeconomic statuses. They highlight several factors thought to contribute to the success of telemedicine programs, such as financial sustainability, ease of use, and utilization of existing resources. Challenges these programs have faced include lack of technological infrastructure, limitations in funding, and conflicting health system priorities.

Cost Minimization Analysis of a Teledermatology Triage System in a Managed Care Setting.

Importance: Teledermatology (TD) enables remote triage and management of dermatology patients. Previous analyses of TD systems have demonstrated improved access to care but an inconsistent fiscal impact. Objective: To compare the organizationwide cost of managing newly referred dermatology patients within a TD triage system vs a conventional dermatology care model at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (hereafter referred to as the ZSFG) in California. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cost minimization analysis was conducted of 2098 patients referred to the dermatology department at the ZSFG between June 1 and December 31, 2017. Intervention: Implementation of the TD triage system in January 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was mean cost to the health care organization to manage newly referred dermatology patients with or without TD triage. To estimate costs, decision-tree models were constructed to characterize possible care paths with TD triage and within a conventional dermatology care model. Costs associated with primary care visits, dermatology visits, and TD visits were then applied to the decision-tree models to estimate the mean cost of managing patients following each care path for 6 months. The mean cost for each visit type incorporated personnel costs, with the mean cost per TD consultation also incorporating software implementation and maintenance costs. Finally, ZSFG patient data were applied within the models to evaluate branch probabilities, enabling calculation of mean cost per patient within each model. Results: The analysis captured 2098 patients (1154 men [55.0%]; mean [SD] age, 53.4 [16.8] years), with 1099 (52.4%) having Medi-Cal insurance and 879 (41.9%) identifying as non-White. In the decision-tree model with TD triage, the mean (SD) cost per patient to the health care organization was $559.84 ($319.29). In the decision-tree model for conventional dermatology care, the mean (SD) cost per patient was $699.96 ($390.24). Therefore, the TD model demonstrated a statistically significant mean (SE) cost savings of $140.12 ($11.01) per patient. Given an annual dermatology referral volume of 3150 patients, the analysis estimates an annual savings of $441 378. Conclusions and Relevance: Implementation of a TD triage system within the dermatology department at the ZSFG was associated with cost savings, suggesting that managed health care settings may experience significant cost savings from using TD to triage and manage patients.

Virtual Fracture Clinics in Orthopaedic Surgery - A Systematic Review of Current Evidence.

AIMS: Approximately 75% of fractures are simple, stable injuries which are often unnecessarily immobilised with subsequent repeated radiographs at numerous fracture clinic visits. In 2014, the Glasgow Fracture Pathway offered an alternative virtual fracture clinic (VFC) pathway with the potential to reduce traditional fracture clinic visits, waiting times and overall costs. Many units have implemented this style of pathway in the non-operative management of simple, undisplaced fractures. This study aims to systematically review the clinical outcomes, patient reported outcomes and cost analyses for VFCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two independent reviewers performed the literature search based on PRISMA guidelines, utilizing the MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE Library databases. Studies reporting outcomes following the use of VFC were included. Outcomes analysed were: 1) clinical outcomes, 2) patient reported outcomes, and 3) cost analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 15 studies involving 11,921 patients with a mean age of 41.1 years and mean follow-up of 12.6 months were included. In total, 65.7% of patients were directly virtually discharged with protocol derived conservative management, with 9.1% using the Helpline and 15.6% contacting their general practitioner for advice or reassurance. A total of 1.2% of patients experienced fracture non-unions and 0.4% required surgical intervention. The overall patient satisfaction rate was 81.0%, with only 1.3% experiencing residual pain at the fracture site. Additionally, the mean cost per patient for VFC was £71, with a mean saving of £53 when compared to traditional clinic models. Subgroup analysis found that for undisplaced fifth metatarsal or radial head/neck fractures, the rates of discharge from VFC to physiotherapy or general practitioners were 81.2% and 93.7% respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study established that there is excellent evidence to support virtual fracture clinic for non-operative management of fifth metatarsal fractures, with moderate evidence for radial head and neck fractures. However, the routine use of virtual fracture clinics is presently not validated for all stable, undisplaced fracture patterns. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV; Systematic Review of all Levels of Evidence.

Role of Telehealth in the Management of COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Previous SARS, MERS, and Ebola Outbreaks.

Concerns about the prevention and management of COVID-19 are on the rise, as it is crucial in contagious epidemics that travel and transfer of the patients be minimal for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-ups. Telemedicine or telehealth can play an important role, especially with previous successful experiences in the management of acute infectious respiratory epidemics such as SARS and MERS. In order to better control the rapid spread of coronavirus and manage the COVID-19 crisis, both developed and developing countries can improve the efficiency of their health system by replacing a proportion of face-to-face clinical encounters with telehealth. Recent technological advancement facilitates this reform, but there is a need for national or state-wide rules and regulations to be adapted accordingly.

Evaluating a remote patient monitoring program for automated peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) have been established, but patient adherence to treatment remains a concern. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs are a potential solution; however, the cost implications are not well established. This study modeled, from the payer perspective, expected net costs and clinical consequences of a novel RPM program in Colombia. METHODS: Amarkov model was used to project costs and clinical outcomes for APD patients with and without RPM. Clinical inputs were directly estimated from Renal Care Services data or taken from the literature. Dialysis costs were estimated from national fees. Inpatient costs were obtained from a recent Colombian study. The model projected overall direct costs and several clinical outcomes. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (DSA and PSA) were also conducted to characterize uncertainty in the results. RESULTS: The model projected that the implementation of an RPM program costing US$35 per month in a cohort of 100 APD patients over 1 year would save US$121,233. The model also projected 31 additional months free of complications, 27 fewer hospitalizations, 518 fewer hospitalization days, and 6 fewer peritonitis episodes. In the DSA, results were most sensitive to hospitalization rates and days of hospitalization, but cost savings were robust. The PSA found there was a 91% chance for the RPM program to be cost saving. CONCLUSION: The results of the model suggest that RPM is cost-effective in APD patients which should be verified by a rigorous prospective cost analysis.

Patients Assess an eConsult Model's Acceptability at 5 US Academic Medical Centers.

PURPOSE: Electronic consultation (eConsult), involving asynchronous primary care clinician-to-specialist consultation, is being adopted at a growing number of health systems. Most evaluations of eConsult programs have assessed clinical and financial impacts and clinician acceptability. Less attention has been focused on patients' opinions. We set out to understand patient perspectives and preferences for hypothetical eConsult use at 5 US academic medical centers in the process of adopting an eConsult model. METHODS: We invited adult primary care patients to participate in focus groups. Participants were introduced to the eConsult model, considered its potential benefits and drawbacks, judged the acceptability of a hypothetical copay, and expressed their preferences for future involvement in eConsult decision making and communication. Thematic analysis was used for data interpretation. RESULTS: One focus group was conducted at each of the 5 sites with a total of 52 participants. Focus groups responded positively to the idea of eConsult, with quicker access to specialty care and convenience identified as key benefits. Approval was particularly high among those with a trusted primary care clinician. Preference for involvement in eConsult decision making and communication varied and enthusiasm about eConsult waned when a hypothetical copay was introduced. Concerns included potential misuse of eConsult and exclusion of the patient's illness narrative in the eConsult exchange. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care patients expressed strong support for eConsult, particularly when used by a trusted primary care clinician, in addition to voicing several concerns. Patient involvement in eConsult outreach and education efforts could help to enhance the model's effectiveness and acceptability.

Remote monitoring of marginalised populations affected by COVID-19: a retrospective review.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 outbreak in Singapore has largely centred around migrant worker dormitories, comprising over 90% of all cases in the country. Dormitories are home to a culturally and linguistically distinct, low-income population, without on-site healthcare after-hours. The primary objective of this study was to assess the engagement and utilisation of a simple, low-cost, accessible, mobile health solution for remote self-reporting of vital parameters in dormitory residents with COVID-19. DESIGN: Retrospective review of medical care. SETTING: Two large migrant worker dormitories with a combined population of 31 546. PARTICIPANTS: All COVID-19-affected residents housed in dormitories during the study period. INTERVENTION: All residents were taught to use a chat assistant to self-report their temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturations. Results flowed into a dashboard, which alerted clinicians of abnormal results. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome measure was engagement rate. This was derived from the total number of residents who registered on the platform over the total number of COVID-19-affected residents in the dormitories during the study period. Secondary outcome measures included outcomes of the alerts and subsequent escalations of care. RESULTS: 800 of the 931 COVID-19-affected residents (85.9%) engaged with the platform to log a total of 12 511 discrete episodes of vital signs. Among 372 abnormal readings, 96 teleconsultations were initiated, of which 7 (1.8%) were escalated to emergency services and 18 (4.9%) were triaged to earlier physical medical review on-site. CONCLUSIONS: A chat-assistant-based self-reporting platform is an effective and safe community-based intervention to monitor marginalised populations with distinct cultural and linguistic backgrounds, living communally and affected by COVID-19. Lessons learnt from this approach may be applied to develop safe and cost-effective telemedicine solutions across similar settings.

Inpatient teledermatology: Current state and practice gaps.

BACKGROUND: Inpatient dermatology care can be challenging for dermatologists. Currently teledermatology is widely used in the outpatient setting but is not common in the inpatient setting, although it has the potential to reduce wait times and improve access to care. OBJECTIVE: To review the available literature on inpatient teledermatology, assess how teledermatology is currently being used in the inpatient setting, and recommend best practice use of inpatient teledermatology. METHODS: A literature review was performed and dermatology attending physicians were surveyed at the Society for Dermatology Hospitalists annual meeting about their current use of inpatient teledermatology. RESULTS: The majority of attending physicians (80.8%, n = 21/26) responded that their institution uses some form of teledermatology. Approximately half of those using teledermatology used it for both inpatient and outpatient consultations (55%, n = 11/20). For institutions with inpatient teledermatology, attending physicians used teledermatology to remotely staff inpatient consultations (81.8%, n = 9/11), triage consultations (63.6%, n = 7/11), and answer curbside questions from primary teams (18.2%, n = 2/11). LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study include a limited sample size from a single meeting. CONCLUSION: Inpatient teledermatology is currently under-utilized has the potential to increase access to dermatology care and may be best used for triaging and remote staffing. Additionally, standardization of platforms and reimbursement would allow for increased use of inpatient teledermatology.

A cost analysis comparing telepsychiatry to in-person psychiatric outreach and patient travel reimbursement in Northern Ontario communities.

INTRODUCTION: Residents of Northern Ontario have limited access to local psychiatric care. To address this, three program models exist: (1) telepsychiatry; (2) psychiatrists traveling to underserved areas; and (3) reimbursing patients for travel to a psychiatrist. Evidence shows that telepsychiatry has comparable outcomes to in-person consultations. The objective of this study was to determine the cost difference between programs. METHODS: A cost-minimization analysis estimating cost per visit from a public healthcare payer economic costing perspective was conducted. Data on fixed and variable costs were obtained. Evidence-based assumptions were made where relevant. Base-case scenarios and a break-even analysis were completed, as well as deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, to explore the effects of parameter variability on program costs. RESULTS: Costs per visit were lowest in telepsychiatry (CAD$360) followed by traveling physicians (CAD$558) and patient reimbursement (CAD$620). Among the 100,000 Monte Carlo simulations, results showed telepsychiatry was the least costly program in 71.2% of the simulations, while the reimbursement and outreach programs were least costly in 15.1% and 13.7% of simulations, respectively. The break-even analysis found telepsychiatry was the least costly program after an annual patient visit threshold of approximately 76 visits (compared to traveling psychiatrists) and 126 visits (compared to reimbursed patients). DISCUSSION: Our analyses support telepsychiatry as the least costly program. These results have important implications for program planning, including the prioritization of telepsychiatry, increased integration of telepsychiatry with other modalities of outreach psychiatry, and limiting use of the patient remuneration program to where medically necessary, to reduce overall cost.

Electronic consultations (E-consults) and their outcomes: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Electronic consultations (e-consults) are clinician-to-clinician communications that may obviate face-to-face specialist visits. E-consult programs have spread within the US and internationally despite limited data on outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of the recent peer-reviewed literature on the effect of e-consults on access, cost, quality, and patient and clinician experience and identified the gaps in existing research on these outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched 4 databases for empirical studies published between 1/1/2015 and 2/28/2019 that reported on one or more outcomes of interest. Two investigators reviewed titles and abstracts. One investigator abstracted information from each relevant article, and another confirmed the abstraction. We applied the GRADE criteria for the strength of evidence for each outcome. RESULTS: We found only modest empirical evidence for effectiveness of e-consults on important outcomes. Most studies are observational and within a single health care system, and comprehensive assessments are lacking. For those outcomes that have been reported, findings are generally positive, with mixed results for clinician experience. These findings reassure but also raise concern for publication bias. CONCLUSION: Despite stakeholder enthusiasm and encouraging results in the literature to date, more rigorous study designs applied across all outcomes are needed. Policy makers need to know what benefits may be expected in what contexts, so they can define appropriate measures of success and determine how to achieve them.

Willingness to pay for pharmacist-provided home telemonitoring among patients with chronic diseases in Enugu metropolis.

Home telemonitoring is a promising approach in the management of patients with chronic diseases. However, no study has assessed its acceptability and possible service charge in Nigeria. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate willingness to pay for pharmacist-provided telemonitoring among patients with chronic diseases and to explore its determinants. Hence, using the contingent valuation method, a cross-sectional study was conducted among eligible patients visiting 15 selected community pharmacies in Enugu metropolis, over a period of 3 months. Of the 335 patients who participated in the study, about 40 percent (i.e. 39.4%) were willing to pay an average monthly fee of ₦915.91 ± 485.49 (US$2.99 ± 1.59) for home telemonitoring services. Significant predictors of willingness to pay for home telemonitoring were perceived insufficient income (odds ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval = 0.07-0.60, p = 0.040) and health insurance status (odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.18-0.86, p = 0.019). Our findings suggest a promising potential for adopting home telemonitoring services among patients with chronic diseases in Enugu metropolis.