ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the rapid adoption of novel telemedicine programs within the emergency department (ED) to minimize provider exposure and conserve personal protective equipment (PPE). In this study, we sought to assess how the adoption of telemedicine in the ED impacted clinical order patterns for patients with chest pain. We hypothesize that clinicians would rely more on imaging and laboratory workup for patients receiving telemedicine due to limitation in physical exams. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective, propensity score matched study was designed for patients presenting with chest pain at an ED. The study period was defined between April 1st, 2020 and September 30th, 2020. The frequency of the most frequent lab, imaging, and medication orders were compared. In addition, poisson regression analysis was performed to compare the overall number of orders between the two groups. RESULTS: 455 patients with chest pain who received telemedicine were matched to 455 similar patients without telemedicine with standardized mean difference < 0.1 for all matched covariates. The proportion of frequent lab, imaging, and medication orders were similar between the two groups. However, telemedicine patients received more orders overall (RR, 1.19, 95% CI, 1.11, 1.28, p-value < 0.001) as well as more imaging, lab, and nursing orders. The number of medication orders between the two groups remained similar. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent labs, imaging, and medications were ordered in similar proportions between the two cohorts. However, telemedicine patients had more orders placed overall. This study is an important objective assessment of the impact that telemedicine has upon clinical practice patterns and can guide future telemedicine implementation after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Telemedicine , Chest Pain/diagnosis , Chest Pain/epidemiology , Chest Pain/therapy , Emergency Service, Hospital , Humans , Pandemics , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Retrospective Studies , Telemedicine/methodsABSTRACT
CASE PRESENTATION: A 28-year-old man presented with shortness of breath, chest pain, and scant hemoptysis. Three weeks previously, he was admitted for coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia that had been diagnosed by nasal swab polymerase chain reaction. Chest CT imaging demonstrated bilateral ground-glass opacities without evidence of VTE. He was treated with hydroxychloroquine, up to 7 L/min oxygen, and self-proning. After 8 days of hospitalization, he was discharged on 4 L/min oxygen. After discharge, his symptoms and hypoxia resolved.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/complications , Chest Pain/etiology , Dyspnea/etiology , Hemoptysis/etiology , Adult , Chest Pain/therapy , Dyspnea/therapy , Hemoptysis/therapy , Humans , MaleSubject(s)
Acute Coronary Syndrome/diagnosis , COVID-19/epidemiology , Chest Pain/diagnosis , Disease Management , Heart Failure/diagnosis , Myocarditis/diagnosis , Pandemics , Acute Coronary Syndrome/epidemiology , Acute Coronary Syndrome/therapy , Chest Pain/epidemiology , Chest Pain/therapy , Comorbidity , Electrocardiography , Female , Heart Failure/epidemiology , Heart Failure/therapy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myocarditis/epidemiology , Myocarditis/therapy , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We sought to determine structure and changes in organisation and bed capacities of certified German chest pain units (CPU) in response to the emergency plan set-up as a response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was conducted in the form of a standardised telephone interview survey in certified German CPUs. Analyses comprised the overall setting of the CPU, bed capacities, possibilities for ventilation, possible changes in organisation and resources, chest pain patient admittance, overall availability of CPUs and bail-out strategies. The response rate was 91%. Nationwide, CPU bed capacities decreased by 3% in the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic response, exhibiting differences within and between the federal states. Pre-pandemic and pandemic bed capacities stayed below 1 CPU bed per 50,000 inhabitants. 97% of CPUs were affected by internal reorganisation pandemic plans at variable extent. While we observed a decrease of CPU beds within an emergency room (ER) set-up and on intermediate care units (ICU), beds in units being separated from ER and ICU were even increased in numbers. CONCLUSIONS: Certified German CPUs are able to maintain adequate coverage for chest pain patients in COVID-19 pandemic despite structural changes. However, at this time, it appears important to add operating procedures during pandemic outbreaks to the certification criteria of forthcoming guidelines either at the individual CPU level or more centrally steered by the German Cardiac Society or the European Society of Cardiology.