Telemedicine with special focus on allergic diseases and asthma-Status 2022: An EAACI position paper.

Efficacious, effective and efficient communication between healthcare professionals (HCP) and patients is essential to achieve a successful therapeutic alliance. Telemedicine (TM) has been used for decades but during the COVID-19 pandemic its use has become widespread. This position paper aims to describe the terminology and most important forms of TM among HCP and patients and review the existing studies on the uses of TM for asthma and allergy. Besides, the advantages and risks of TM are discussed, concluding that TM application reduces costs and time for both, HCP and patients, but cannot completely replace face-to-face visits for physical examinations and certain tests that are critical in asthma and allergy. From an ethical point of view, it is important to identify those involved in the TM process, ensure confidentiality and use communication channels that fully guarantee the security of the information. Unmet needs and directions for the future regarding implementation, data protection, privacy regulations, methodology and efficacy are described.

Expectations related to home-based telemonitoring of high-risk pregnancies: A qualitative study addressing healthcare providers' and users' views in Norway.

INTRODUCTION: A pregnancy can be evaluated as high-risk for the woman and/or the fetus based on medical history and on previous or ongoing pregnancy characteristics. Monitoring high-risk pregnancies is crucial for early detection of alarming features, enabling timely intervention to ensure optimal maternal and fetal health outcomes. Home-based telemonitoring (HBTM) is a marginally exploited opportunity in antenatal care. The aim of this study was to illuminate healthcare providers' and users' expectations and views about HBTM of maternal and fetal health in high-risk pregnancies before implementation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To address diverse perspectives regarding HBTM of high-risk pregnancies, four different groups of experienced healthcare providers or users were interviewed (n = 21). Focus group interviews were conducted separately with midwives, obstetricians, and women who had previously experienced stillbirth. Six individual interviews were conducted with hospitalized women with ongoing high-risk pregnancies, representing potential candidates for HBTM. None of the participants had any previous experience with HBTM of pregnancies. The study is embedded in a social constructivist research paradigm. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: The participants acknowledged the benefits and potentials of more active roles for both care recipients and providers in HBTM. Concerns were clearly addressed and articulated in the following themes: eligibility and ability of women, availability of midwives and obstetricians, empowerment and patient safety, and shared responsibility. All groups problematized issues crucial to maintaining a sense of safety for care recipients, and healthcare providers also addressed issues related to maintaining a sense of safety also for the care providers. Conditions for HBTM were understood in terms of optimal personalized training, individual assessment of eligibility, and empowerment of an active patient role. These conditions were linked to the importance of competent and experienced midwives and obstetricians operating the monitoring, as well as the availability and continuity of care provision. Maintenance of safety in HBTM in high-risk pregnancies was crucial, particularly so in situations involving emerging acute health issues. CONCLUSIONS: HBTM requires new, proactive roles among midwives, obstetricians, and monitored women, introducing a fine-tuned balance between personalized and standardized care to provide safe, optimal monitoring of high-risk pregnancies.

Telemedicine in specialist outpatient care during COVID-19: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 accelerated healthcare changes, introducing various telehealth services. Work is needed to determine the suitability of telemedicine in the post-pandemic era. AIMS: To explore perceptions and experiences of telemedicine among patients and providers (clinicians and health administrators) who were involved in telemedicine appointments in hospital outpatient clinics in 2020-2022. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative study: semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 participants (16 patients and 21 providers) in various hospital specialist outpatient clinics in a New South Wales local health district. RESULTS: Patients were generally satisfied with telemedicine consultations, especially during COVID restrictions, because of the convenience of accessing care from home and minimising the risk of COVID exposure. However, patients considered that the inability to receive a physical examination was a significant disadvantage of telemedicine. Providers had ambivalent perceptions and expressed concerns about mis- and under-diagnoses because of the inability to conduct physical examinations. They considered telemedicine suitable for review appointments but noted an associated increased workload and stressed the need for sustainable funding models (Medicare items). Both patients and providers recognised the need for education/training and better integration of telemedicine platforms into existing infrastructure to facilitate an optimal hybrid model of care. CONCLUSION: Despite expressing some concerns over its limitations, patients valued telemedicine for its convenience and for meeting their needs during the pandemic. While acknowledging that patients experienced some benefits from telemedicine, clinicians expressed concerns about potential missed diagnoses, uncertain clinical outcomes and lack of administrative and technological infrastructure. The ultimate test of telemedicine will be its impact on clinical outcomes versus longstanding models of in-person care.

Investigating drivers of telecare acceptance to improve healthcare quality for independently living older adults.

Contemporary telecare systems facilitate the ability for older adults to age in place, keeping them out of residential care facilities and providing numerous quality-of-life advantages for both care receivers (CRs) and caregivers (CGs). However, despite the acceptance of digital health interventions among older adults and their CGs, telecare adoption has been slower than expected. This paper aimed to compare attitudes toward adopting telecare systems between CRs (aging adults) and their CGs (family/friends). Data were collected via an online survey. Respondents included aging adults concerned about their care (CRs) and older adults who cared for an aging loved one (CGs). Analysis of covariance and partial-least-squares techniques were used to examine the relationships between healthcare concerns for older adults, functional telecare benefits, and telecare acceptance. Concerns for healthcare status, mainly driven by CRs, positively impacted telecare acceptance. However, concerns for mental and physical stimulation had a negative relationship with telecare acceptance, while CGs showed a neutral relationship. Telecare's ability to improve healthcare quality and cognitive stimulation positively impacted its acceptance. CGs mainly drove the impact of healthcare quality on telecare acceptance, while the relationship was not significant for CRs. CRs' age reduced telecare acceptance, and higher educational levels of CGs increased telecare acceptance. We found significant differences in telecare acceptance and its drivers between CGs and CRs in the USA. In addition, we discerned that not all healthcare concerns or functional telecare characteristics influenced telecare acceptance equally between the two. Consequently, telecare providers must consider the different needs of constituencies interested in telecare to support the life quality of older adults.

Investigating the Use of Telemedicine by Health Care Providers to Diagnose and Manage Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Access to care is a major challenge for patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSKDs). Telemedicine is one of the solutions to improve access to care. However, initial remote diagnosis of MSKDs involves some challenges, such as the impossibility of touching the patient during the physical examination, which makes it more complex to obtain a valid diagnosis. No meta-analysis has been performed to date to synthesize evidence regarding the initial assessment including a physical evaluation using telemedicine to diagnose patients with MSKDs. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to appraise the evidence on diagnostic and treatment plan concordance between remote assessment using synchronous or asynchronous forms of telemedicine and usual in-person assessment for the initial evaluation of various MSKDs. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted up to August 2023 using terms related to telemedicine and assessment of MSKDs. Methodological quality of studies was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. Random-effect model meta-analyses were performed. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations framework was used to synthesize the quality and certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: A total of 23 concordance studies were eligible and included adult participants (N=1493) with various MSKDs. On the basis of high certainty, pooled κ and prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted κ for the diagnostic concordance between remote and in-person assessments of MSKDs were 0.80 (95% CI 0.72-0.89; 7 studies, 353 patients) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.76-0.89; 6 studies, 306 patients). On the basis of moderate certainty, pooled Gwet AC1 for treatment plan concordance between remote and in-person assessments of MSKDs was 0.90 (95% CI 0.80-0.99; 2 studies, 142 patients). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic concordance for MSKDs is good to very good. Treatment plan concordance is probably good to excellent. Studies evaluating the accuracy to detect red and yellow flags as well as the potential increase in associated health care resources use, such as imaging tests, are needed.

Improving post-acute stroke follow-up care by adopting telecare consultations in a nurse-led clinic: Study protocol of a hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and implementation strategies of telecare consultations in post-stroke nurse-led clinics. BACKGROUND: Telecare consultations could be an alternative to conventional in-person consultations and improve continuity of care for stroke survivors following their discharge from hospital. Previous studies utilizing telecare consultations only focused on testing their clinical effectiveness on stroke survivors; the appropriateness and feasibility of adopting this new delivery modality in a real-world setting were not examined. DESIGN: A Type II hybrid effectiveness-implementation design will be adopted. METHODS: Eligible stroke survivor participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (telecare consultation) or control group (usual in-person clinic consultation). Both groups will receive the same nursing intervention but delivered through different channels. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance framework will be used to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and implementation outcomes. The primary outcome is the non-inferiority of the degree of disability between the two groups at 3 months into the intervention and at 3 months post-intervention. The paper complies with the SPIRIT guidelines for study protocols adapted for designing and reporting parallel group randomized trials. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study will provide key insights into the processes for implementing and adopting telecare consultations into long-term services for post-stroke patients. IMPACT: This study contributes to the translation of telecare consultations for stroke survivors into real-life settings. If effective, this program may provide guidance for expanding telecare consultations to other post-stroke nurse-led clinics or to patients with other chronic diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT05183672). Registered on 10 January 2022.

Telemedicine Use Among Adults with Asthma in the United States, 2021-2022.

Introduction: While previous studies have mainly focused on the impact of telemedicine on asthma management, little is known about the disparities in the use of telemedicine among individuals with asthma. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with telemedicine use among adults with asthma in the United States using a nationally representative survey. Methods: Data from the 2021 and 2022 National Health Interview Survey were used. The multivariable logistic regression model was conducted to identify the factors associated with telemedicine use among adults with asthma. Results: In 2021-2022, the prevalence of telemedicine use among adults with asthma was 47.7%. Females, individuals who were obese, current smokers, those with educational levels of college and higher, health insurance coverage, a usual place for care, a history of asthma attacks, and coronavirus disease 2019 were more likely to use telemedicine. Non-Hispanic blacks, residents in the Midwest, South, and nonmetropolitan areas were less likely to use telemedicine. Conclusions: Disparities in telemedicine use were found among several characteristics in adults with asthma. It is crucial to identify the vulnerable populations in accessing telemedicine and ensure equality in telemedicine use among patients with asthma.

The Effect of Home-Based Telehealth and Postpartum Care Given According to Watson's Theory of Human Caring on the Improvement in the Emotional State of the Mother During the Pandemic Process: A Case Report.

Objective: The purpose of this case report was to evaluate the effect of telehealth and postpartum care provided to a mother with maternal depression according to Watson's Theory of Human Caring during the pandemic on the improvement in the mother's emotional state and to evaluate the applicability of the model. Methods: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was administered to eight women who responded to the announcement made on social media, and verbal and written permission was obtained from the mother with the highest scale score. A total of six video calls were made with the mother via WhatsApp, twice a week in the first week after postnatal discharge and once a week in the next 4 weeks, in accordance with the form drawn up according to Watson's Theory of Human Caring. Results: In this study, it was observed that home-based telehealth and postpartum care provided using Watson's Theory of Human Caring, which includes a holistic approach, was very useful, and the care provided according to the model provided a positive improvement in the emotional state of the mother with depression. Conclusions: It was concluded that telehealth and postpartum care is useful in home-based care in extraordinary situations/quarantine conditions such as pandemic; care can also be provided in the form of telehealth service according to Watson's Theory of Human Caring to mothers with depression; and care provides positive improvement in the emotional state of mothers.

Orthodontists' use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study.

BACKGROUND: Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect orthodontists' use of remote monitoring platforms? The goal of this research was to examine orthodontists' experiences implementing remote monitoring platforms before, during, and after the initial COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: In this descriptive cross-sectional survey study, an electronic, anonymous questionnaire consisting of a series of 31 short-answer and multiple-choice questions was administered to an international sampling of practicing orthodontists. The target population in the study included currently practicing orthodontists who were graduates of an accredited orthodontic residency program. Participants were recruited in 2021 through collaboration with the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) Partners in Research Program and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Orthodontic Alumni Association. Descriptive analysis was conducted, reporting frequency (N and %) distributions for each question. The questionnaire aimed to describe whether orthodontists incorporated remote monitoring platforms into their practices, their experiences doing so, and if the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their use of these resources. RESULTS: Orthodontists' use of remote monitoring platforms was negligible prior to the pandemic; however, a quarter of surveyed orthodontists began using a remote monitoring platform during COVID-19 and nearly all respondents plan to continue using remote monitoring for the foreseeable future. Approximately half of orthodontists believe most patients' treatment progress can be monitored to the standard of care between in-person orthodontic appointments using remote monitoring platforms. Half of the orthodontists who do not currently use a remote monitoring platform in their practice are interested in learning more about how to implement one. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in the interest and adoption of remote monitoring platforms in orthodontic practices. Most orthodontists had not incorporated remote monitoring platforms into their practices prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this study revealed that a subset of orthodontists utilized the pandemic as motivation to incorporate remote monitoring into their practices and an additional group of orthodontists were interested in incorporating one in the future. Remote monitoring platforms garnered interest and importance with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and may only have an increasing role in the field in years to come.

Perspectives of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases on e-consultation in transmural care: a qualitative study : Is privacy really an issue?

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive cancer networks have been established to deliver high-quality care for patients with cancer. Logistic challenges are faced, when patients need to be referred for specialized treatments. Despite strengthened privacy legislations, digital platforms are increasingly used to consult specialists from dedicated liver centers or refer patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) for local treatment strategies. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of patients with CRLM regarding e-consultation of transmural specialists. METHODS: A focus group study was conducted. Patients referred from regional hospitals to an academic liver center for treatment of CRLM were asked to participate. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic content analysis of data was conducted, comprising open, axial, and selective coding of the transcripts. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were used. RESULTS: Two focus groups were held, involving 11 patients and 8 relatives. Three major themes were identified with regard to e-consultation in transmural care: 'data management', 'expertise', and 'information and coordination'. Confidence in the expertise of physicians appeared most important during the course of treatment, as patients experienced uncertainty after diagnosis of cancer. Despite the privacy risks, use of digital communication platforms to contact experts in the field were strongly endorsed to improve eligibility for potentially curative treatment. Moreover, e-consultation of specialists may reduce waiting times, due to effective coordination of care. CONCLUSION: Initiatives to improve medical data transfer between care providers were encouraged to achieve effective coordination of oncological care. The potential hazard of privacy violation associated with digital data exchange is accepted by patients and their relatives, provided that use of digital data improves patient's own health care, research or education.

Impact of telecare interventions on quality of life in older adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Recently, an increase in the older adult population, their chronic diseases, and functional disabilities have led to an increase in the need for more healthcare services. Telecare is one of the solutions for caring these people and can improve their quality of life. AIM: The objective of this study was to investigate impact of telecare interventions on quality of life in older adults. METHODS: This was a systematic review conducted in 2021. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Embase, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest databases as well as Google Scholar were searched until the end of 2020 to retrieve relevant articles published in English. The quality of the studies was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) quality assessment checklists and the mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT). The risk of bias in the studies was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) and the risk of bias in non-randomized studies-of interventions (ROBINS-I). RESULTS: In total, ten out of 1245 articles identified in the initial search, were included in this study. Telemonitoring (n = 7) and telerehabilitation (n = 3) were the most common methods of telecare interventions. Overall, the findings showed that in most studies, different dimensions of quality of life were improved after using these interventions (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Evaluating impact of telecare interventions on quality of life, especially in older adults can help system developers to improve current and future telecare technologies to meet users' requirements. Future studies can focus on evaluating the impact of specific telecare systems for a particular target group using different research methodologies.

Understanding the Value of a Proactive Telecare System in Supporting Older Adults' Independence at Home: Qualitative Interview Study Among Key Interest Groups.

BACKGROUND: Telecare is claimed to support people to live in their own homes for longer by providing monitoring services that enable responses to emergencies at home. Although most telecare technologies commissioned in the United Kingdom predominantly supply reactive services, there has been recent interest among policy makers to develop proactive telecare services to provide additional understanding of older adults' health and well-being needs to provide a means for more preventive interventions. Proactive telecare refers to providing regular well-being calls or encouraging users to regularly confirm their well-being to anticipate and prevent crises through an increased understanding of individuals' needs and by building social relationships with older adults. Such technologies have already begun to be introduced, yet little research has explored the potential value of proactive telecare. OBJECTIVE: This study explores the perceptions of different interest groups to understand the extent to which using a proactive telecare service can support older adults to live independently, what potential health and well-being benefits may be elicited from its use, and what the limitations are. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with older people (those with experience in using proactive telecare and those without), family members of proactive telecare users, and proactive telecare staff regarding their perceptions and opinions about the value of a proactive telecare service. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 30 individuals participated in this study. Older adults described the value of proactive telecare in feeling safe and in control and appreciated feeling connected. Family members and staff valued the potential to detect early health deterioration in older adults, and all participants highlighted the benefit of strengthening access to social networks, particularly for socially isolated older people. However, telecare is often viewed as a last resort, and therefore, anticipatory care may not suit all populations, as demonstrated by the mixed acceptance of the technology among older adults who did not have experience using it. Participants also reported limitations, including the requirement for family, friends, or neighbors to assist older adults during an emergency and the need for financial resources to fund the service. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the first known qualitative inquiry about a proactive telecare system, which provides rich and detailed insights from different perspectives into the potential benefits of this intervention. Proactive telecare may promote and facilitate the accumulation of social and technological resources as individuals prepare to cope with age-related challenges, thus helping to avoid negative outcomes prematurely. However, similar to reactive telecare, proactive telecare must be matched to individual preferences and existing financial and social resources.

Factors That Influence the Use of eHealth in Home Care: Scoping Review and Cross-sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: In home care, eHealth implementation requires health care professionals and home care clients to change their behavior because they have to incorporate the use of eHealth into their daily routines. Knowledge of factors that influence the use of eHealth in home care is needed to optimize implementation strategies. However, a comprehensive overview of such factors is lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to (1) provide insight into the types of eHealth that are used and preferred in home care and (2) identify factors that influence the use of eHealth in home care according to health care professionals and home care clients. METHODS: A scoping review and online, cross-sectional survey were conducted sequentially. The survey was conducted among Dutch health care professionals with a nursing background who were working for a home care organization at the time. The capability, opportunity, motivation, behavior (COM-B) model, which posits that for any behavior (B) to occur, a person must have the capability (C), opportunity (O), and motivation (M) to perform the behavior, was used to identify influencing factors. The use of a theoretical model may contribute to a better understanding of how to achieve and sustain behavior change in clinical practice. RESULTS: We included 30 studies in the scoping review. The most frequently studied type of eHealth was a telecommunication/telemonitoring system. The survey was completed by 102 participants. The most frequently used types of eHealth were electronic health records, social alarms, and online client portals. A health app was the most frequently preferred type of eHealth. We identified 22 factors that influence the use of eHealth in home care according to health care professionals and home care clients. Influencing factors were organized into the components of the COM-B model, namely capability (n=6), opportunity (n=10), and motivation (n=6). We found that there is no single influencing factor that is key to the complexity of eHealth implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of eHealth are used, and many types of eHealth are preferred by health care professionals. The identified factors that influence the use of eHealth in home care relate to all components of the COM-B model. These factors need to be addressed and embedded in implementation strategies of eHealth to optimize the use of eHealth in home care.

The Usefulness of a Smartphone App-Based Smoking Cessation Program for Conventional Cigarette Users, Heated Tobacco Product Users, and Dual Users: Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are widespread in Japan, and smoking cessation of such products has become an important issue owing to the spread of harmful effects from HTPs. The efficacy of online digital therapy has been reported in smoking cessation treatment; however, we have limited evidence of online smoking cessation programs for HTP users. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluate the usefulness of the Ascure program for HTP users (defined as exclusive HTP use or dual use of HTP and cigarettes) compared with exclusive cigarette users. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. We recruited adult smokers participating in the Ascure online smoking cessation program in Japan from June 2019 to February 2021. The Ascure smartphone app provided four elements: (1) educational video tutorials to enhance the understanding of nicotine dependence, (2) a personalized to-do list for behavior change, (3) a digital diary for record keeping, and (4) interactive chat sessions for relief from cravings or withdrawal symptoms. The primary outcome was the continuous abstinence rate (CAR) at weeks 21 to 24, biochemically validated using salivary cotinine testing. We considered those who dropped out of the program as smoking cessation failures. We analyzed the primary outcome using inverse probability weighting against tobacco product type estimated by multinomial propensity scores. We also assessed CAR at weeks 9 to 12 and program adherence. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 2952 participants, including 52% (1524/3478) in the cigarette group, 35% (1038/3478) in the HTP group, and 13% (390/3478) in the dual-use group, who had a mean age of 43.4 (SD 10.8) years and included 17% (513/2952) women. CAR at weeks 21 to 24 showed that exclusive HTP users were more likely to stop tobacco use than exclusive cigarette smokers (CAR 52.6% for cigarette users vs CAR 64.8% for HTP users; odds ratio [OR] 1.17, 95% CI 1.12-1.22; P<.001). There was no significant difference between the exclusive cigarette users and the dual users (CAR 52.6% for cigarette users vs CAR 48.7% for dual users; OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.93-1.05; P=.77). CAR at weeks 9 to 12 was 56.7% (95% CI 54.2%-59.2%) for the exclusive cigarette users, 68.3% (95% CI 65.5%-71.1%) for the exclusive HTP users, and 58.2% (95% CI 53.3%-63.1%) for the dual users. The program adherence rate at week 24 was 70.7% overall (68.4% for cigarette users, 75% for HTP users, and 67.9% for dual users). CONCLUSIONS: Exclusive HTP users had higher CARs and adherence compared with exclusive cigarette users, indicating a higher affinity for the Ascure online smoking cessation program. This program might be a useful smoking cessation option for HTP users, as well as for cigarette smokers.

A qualitative study showing that a telecare tool can have benefits before and during the initial hearing assessment appointment.

OBJECTIVE: To examine patient and audiologist experiences and perspectives of using a patient-centred telecare tool, the Ida Institute's Why Improve My Hearing? (WIMH) Tool, before and during the initial hearing assessment appointment. DESIGN: A qualitative study comprising individual semi-structured interviews using a maximum variation sampling strategy. The data were analysed using an established thematic analysis technique. STUDY SAMPLE: Fifteen participants, including ten patients (i.e. adults with hearing loss) and five audiologists, were recruited from Adult Audiology Services within the United Kingdom's publicly-funded National Health Service (NHS). RESULTS: Three themes described the impact of using the WIMH Tool. Theme 1 (i.e. enhanced preparation before the appointment): the Tool helps patients to better understand and accept their hearing difficulties in advance of their first appointment. Theme 2 (i.e. enriched discussion during the appointment): the tool can enhance patient-centred communication, as well as the efficiency of the appointment. Theme 3 (i.e. varied impact on outcomes following the appointment): the Tool can improve patient motivation, readiness, and involvement in decision-making, though it may have limited impact on additional outcomes, such as adherence. CONCLUSION: The WIMH Tool can be successfully implemented in audiological practice, resulting in benefits before and during the initial hearing assessment appointment.

A randomised controlled clinical trial to assess the benefits of a telecare tool delivered prior to the initial hearing assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the benefits of the Ida Institute's Why improve my hearing? Telecare Tool used before the initial hearing assessment appointment. DESIGN: A prospective, single-blind randomised clinical trial with two arms: (i) Why improve my hearing? Telecare Tool intervention, and (ii) standard care control. STUDY SAMPLE: Adults with hearing loss were recruited from two Audiology Services within the United Kingdom's publicly-funded National Health Service. Of 461 individuals assessed for eligibility, 57 were eligible to participate. RESULTS: Measure of Audiologic Rehabilitation Self-efficacy for Hearing Aids (primary outcome) scores did not differ between groups from baseline to post-assessment (Mean change [Δ]= -2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI]= -6.70, 2.15, p= .307) and 10-weeks follow-up (Mean Δ= -2.69; 95% CI= -9.52, 4.15, p = .434). However, Short Form Patient Activation Measure scores significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group from baseline to post-assessment (Mean Δ= -6.06, 95% CI= -11.31, -0.82, p = .024, ES= .61) and 10-weeks follow-up (Mean Δ= -9.87, 95% CI= -15.34, -4.40, p = .001, ES= -.97). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that while a patient-centred telecare intervention completed before management decisions may not improve an individual's self-efficacy to manage their hearing loss, it can lead to improvements in readiness.

A Smart Card-Based Two-Factor Mutual Authentication Scheme for Efficient Deployment of an IoT-Based Telecare Medical Information System.

The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the telecare medical information system (TMIS) enables patients to receive timely and convenient healthcare services regardless of their location or time zone. Since the Internet serves as the key hub for connection and data sharing, its open nature presents security and privacy concerns and should be considered when integrating this technology into the current global healthcare system. Cybercriminals target the TMIS because it holds a lot of sensitive patient data, including medical records, personal information, and financial information. As a result, when developing a trustworthy TMIS, strict security procedures are required to deal with these concerns. Several researchers have proposed smart card-based mutual authentication methods to prevent such security attacks, indicating that this will be the preferred method for TMIS security with the IoT. In the existing literature, such methods are typically developed using computationally expensive procedures, such as bilinear pairing, elliptic curve operations, etc., which are unsuitable for biomedical devices with limited resources. Using the concept of hyperelliptic curve cryptography (HECC), we propose a new solution: a smart card-based two-factor mutual authentication scheme. In this new scheme, HECC's finest properties, such as compact parameters and key sizes, are utilized to enhance the real-time performance of an IoT-based TMIS system. The results of a security analysis indicate that the newly contributed scheme is resistant to a wide variety of cryptographic attacks. A comparison of computation and communication costs demonstrates that the proposed scheme is more cost-effective than existing schemes.

Telemedicine as a Motivational Tool to Optimize Metabolic Control in Patients with Diabetes in Turkey: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled TeleDiab Trial.

Introduction: Telemedicine is a follow-up system that can improve the quality of management and cost-effectiveness of rapidly increasing diabetes patients. Methods: Two hundred adult patients with diabetes were enrolled in this prospective, randomized study. Consecutive patients were divided equally into two groups. Both groups received routine care visits quarterly. TeleDiab group also sent self-monitoring of blood glucose data and received short message service over the transmission system for 12 months. After the study was completed, all patients continued their routine care visits, and their data were evaluated for another 12 months. Six years after the initial study, patients were contacted by phone during the Covid-19 lockdown, and their status was assessed. Results: At the end of the study, glycemic control, kidney function, and lipid parameters of the TeleDiab group were statistically significantly better than the Usual Care group. There was no significant change in the weights of the patients. It was observed that this state of wellbeing continued both at the end of the second year and during the Covid-19 lockdown. Individuals with type 2 diabetes were found to benefit more from telemedicine. Discussion: It has been beneficial to guide patients with applications such as TeleDiab in diseases such as diabetes that require lifelong follow-up. On the other hand, the importance of telemedicine programs in the management of chronic diseases in the current pandemic conditions has come to the fore even more. Telemedicine is an effective motivational tool to ensure optimal control not only of glycemic but also of kidney and lipid parameters.

Early Intervention Involving Specific Task-Environment-Participation (STEP) Protocol for Infants at Risk: A Feasibility Study.

Aims: To verify the feasibility and preliminary effects of the STEP protocol, an intervention based on specific motor skills, environmental factors and participation, in infants at biological risk.Methods: Twenty-eight at-risk infants (STEP Protocol = 14; Standard Intervention = 14), aged 3-9 months and at risk for developmental delay. The following outcomes were assessed: motor skills (Alberta Infant Motor Scale-AIMS); frequency and involvement of participation (Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure-YC-PEM), and home environment opportunities (Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-AHEMD-IS). For both groups, interventions were provided by parents. The intervention for group was based on the following principles: (1) standard intervention: stimulation of motor skills; (2) STEP: stimulation of motor skills, participation, mother-infant interaction, environmental enrichment. A mean comparison test was applied to verify difference between groups after the intervention.Results: The protocol showed good retention and recruitment rates. The STEP group had significantly higher outcomes after intervention on the AIMS (p = 0.014); frequency (p = 0.02) and engagement (p = 0.03) in participation, when compared to standard intervention.Conclusions: The results showed that the STEP protocol is feasible, and presents better results compared to the standard intervention, which reinforces the importance of promoting participation, specific motor skills and family involvement.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS NEEDED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC PATIENTS' NEEDS THROUGH TELECARE.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To identify the necessary competencies that future professionals must obtain in order to effectively manage patients with chronic conditions. We employed a multilayer review in PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: We applied three searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane using various terms in order to identify the necessary skills and competences needed for healthcare professionals to provide distance care in patients with chronic conditions. From the initial search, a total of 1008 studies were identified while 54 met the inclusion criteria and were retained for data extraction. After the review of the 54 studies, we grouped the proposed skills and competencies in eight major categories. Those groups were Clinical Knowledge, Critical Thinking Skills, Technological Skills, Clinical skills, Communication skills, Implementation skills, Professionalism and professional ethics, Evidence based Practice. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Although telehealth is gaining ground in healthcare practice and healthcare professionals possess the necessary knowledge and skills to provide safe, effective, and personalized care, additional specialized training is nevertheless required to provide telecare. Therefore, the integration of telehealth into various healthcare professions curricula - both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels - is required for the development of education and the dynamic development of healthcare.