ABSTRACT
Telehealth has been a long-awaited advancement with the potential to improve efficiency, convenience, and quality in healthcare. However, as telehealth becomes integrated into routine clinical care, it is imperative to consider the practical and ethical implications that could undermine or devalue care delivery. The medical profession must ensure that it is implemented judiciously and with robust quality standards, guided by fair and equitable policies that balance patient autonomy with rigorous standards of care and access. Such a system must recognize the opportunity for more patient input as stakeholders to tailor care to their needs and preferences, while also acknowledging the risk of suboptimal care if convenience is prioritized over quality. More studies of optimal care models are needed to integrate data in terms of both stakeholder input and outcomes.
ABSTRACT
We describe a case in which a 29-year-old male with no medical history presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction as his presentation of coronavirus disease. During cardiac catheterization, he was found to have total occlusion of his left anterior descending artery by thrombus. Laboratory testing revealed markedly elevated inflammatory markers as well as evidence of a hypercoagulable state in the setting of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, which was suspected to be the inciting factor for his acute coronary event.