ABSTRACT
Blackground and objective: Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are not data of models between clinicians. Our objective is to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our area. Methods: Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as a reference the consultations carried out during 2018. Results: We analysed 25,121 patients. Through logistic regression analysis, it was observed that a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care were associated with a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated with worse health outcomes compared to 2018. Conclusions: The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consult referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care without the pandemic periods being associated with worse outcomes. The reduction in the time elapsed for solving the e-consult and no need for in-person visit were associated with better outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Background and objective Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are no data corresponding to models between clinicians. An analysis was made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our healthcare area. Methods Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as reference the consultations carried out during 2018. Results A total of 25,121 patients were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis showed a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care to be associated to a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019–2020 and 2020–2021) were not associated to poorer health outcomes compared to 2018. Conclusions The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consultation referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care, and without the pandemic periods being associated to poorer outcomes. The reduction in time elapsed for resolving the e-consultations and no need for face-to-face visits were associated to improved outcomes.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are no data corresponding to models between clinicians. An analysis was made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our healthcare area. METHODS: Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as reference the consultations carried out during 2018. RESULTS: A total of 25,121 patients were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis showed a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care to be associated to a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated to poorer health outcomes compared to 2018. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consultation referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care, and without the pandemic periods being associated to poorer outcomes. The reduction in time elapsed for resolving the e-consultations and no need for face-to-face visits were associated to improved outcomes.