ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To describe our methodology for implementing synchronous telemedicine during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective review of outpatient records at a single children's hospital from March 21 to April 10, 2020, was carried out to determine the outcome of already-scheduled face-to-face outpatient appointments. The week leading up to the March 21, all appointments in the study period were categorized as follows: (1) requiring an in-person visit, (2) face-to-face visit that could be postponed, and (3) consultation required but could be virtual. Teams of administrators, schedulers, and ophthalmic technicians used defined scripts and standardized emails to communicate results of categorization to patients. Flowcharts were devised to schedule and implement telemedicine visits. Informational videos were made accessible on social media to prepare patients for the telemedicine experience. Simultaneously our children's hospital launched a pediatric on-demand e-consult service, the data analytics of which could be used to determine how many visits were eye related. RESULTS: A total of 237 virtual ophthalmology consult visits were offered during the study period: 212 were scheduled, and 206 were completed, of which 43 were with new patients and 163 with returning patients. Following the initial virtual visit, another was required on average in 4 weeks by 21 patients; in-person follow-up was required for 170 patients on average 4.6 months after the initial virtual visit. None needed review within 72 hours. The pediatric on-demand service completed 290 visits, of which 25 had eye complaints. CONCLUSIONS: With proper materials, technology, and staffing, a telemedicine strategy based on three patient categories can be rapidly implemented to provide continued patient care during pandemic conditions. In our study cohort, the scheduled clinic e-visits had a low no-show rate (3%), and 8% of the on-demand virtual access for pediatric care was eye related.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Eye Diseases/diagnosis , Ophthalmology/methods , Pandemics , Patient Satisfaction , Referral and Consultation/organization & administration , Telemedicine/methods , Child , Comorbidity , Eye Diseases/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , Retrospective Studies , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The study of the clinical and electrophysiological effects of eye muscle surgery on patients with infantile nystagmus has broadened our knowledge of the disease and its interventions. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four patients with a vertical head posture because of electrophysiologically diagnosed infantile nystagmus syndrome. The ages ranged from 2.5 to 38 years and follow up averaged 14.0 months. METHODS: Thirteen patients with a chin-down posture had a bilateral superior rectus recession, inferior oblique myectomy and a horizontal rectus recession or tenotomy. Those 11 with a chin-up posture had a bilateral superior oblique tenectomy, inferior rectus recession and a horizontal rectus recession or tenotomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures included: demography, eye/systemic conditions and preoperative and postoperative; binocular, best optically corrected, null zone acuity, head posture, null zone foveation time and nystagmus waveform changes. RESULTS: Associated conditions were strabismus in 66%, ametropia in 96%, amblyopia in 46% and optic nerve, foveal dysplasia or albinism in 54%. Null zone acuity increased at least 0.1 logMAR in 20 patients (P < 0.05 group mean change). Patients had significant (P < 0.05) improvements in degrees of head posture, average foveation time in milliseconds and infantile nystagmus syndrome waveform improvements. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates a successful surgical approach to treatment and provides expectations of ocular motor and visual results after vertical head posture surgery because of an eccentric gaze null in patients with infantile nystagmus syndrome.