Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections , Hospitalization , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19 , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Child , Clinical Protocols , Comorbidity , Coronavirus Infections/blood , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology , Dyslipidemias/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/epidemiology , Oxygen/blood , Patient Admission , Pneumonia, Viral/blood , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Proportional Hazards Models , Renal Insufficiency/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , SARS-CoV-2 , Young AdultABSTRACT
Background: The usefulness of telemedicine in the management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not been evaluated. Methods: We conducted a descriptive study of the process of recruitment and follow-up of patients using a telemedicine tool (TELEA) in the management of patients at risk, in a rural environment with a dispersed population in Lugo in north western Spain. Results: A large number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection (N = 545) were evaluated. Of this group, 275 had comorbidities and were enrolled in the program, with a mean age of 57.6 ± 16.3 years, 43.1% male. The risk factors were hypertension (38%), diabetes (16%), asthma (9.5%), heart disease (8.8%), and immunosuppression (5.1%). Patients were followed through the platform with daily control of symptoms and vital signs. Only 8% were admitted to the hospital, 5.1% on a scheduled basis and 2.9% through the emergency room. Conclusion: The telemedicine tool TELEA is useful for the management of high-risk patients with COVID-19.