Telemedicine medical evaluation of low-risk patients with dengue during an outbreak may be an option in reducing the need for on-site physicians.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effectiveness of telemedicine consultations during an outbreak in reducing the need for face-to-face consultations at a field hospital for patients with dengue. METHODS: We performed a retrospective unicentric study between April and May 2015 with 4626 patients (≥15 years old) who spontaneously sought care at an emergency field hospital (Sao Paulo/Brazil). A nurse initially assessed all patients with dengue through rapid diagnostic testing, automated complete blood count, and risk stratification. During overcrowded situations, a video-based telemedicine consultation was provided as an option to all low-to-moderate risk patients who tested positive. The management was carried out according to current dengue guidelines. The primary end point was a referral to immediate face-to-face medical evaluation. RESULTS: Of all patients suspected of dengue infection, 2003 presented positive testing, 1978 were classified as low-moderate risk, and 267 patients with dengue were evaluated by telemedicine. The mean age was 38.17 ± 13.7 years (54.6% female). Oral medications were recommended in 169 (63.3%), intravenous hydration or symptomatic drugs in 96 (36%), 252 (94.4%) were discharged after telemedicine assessment, and only 15 (5.6%) were referred to immediate face-to-face medical evaluation. No adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine medical assessment of low-to-moderate risk patients with dengue previously screened by nursing triage is effective in replacing the face-to-face evaluation in a field hospital. Telemedicine may be reinforced in epidemiological outbreak scenarios as a cost-effective strategy for the initial assessment of acute patients.

Manifestação cutânea isolada da COVID-19 conduzida por telemedicina / Isolated cutaneous manifestation of COVID-19 managed by telemedicine

Objetivos: Este artigo é um relato de caso de uma paciente com diagnóstico confirmado de COVID-19 que teve avaliação médica realizada por telemedicina. Esta paciente apresentou manifestação cutânea isolada e foi avaliada por clínico geral remotamente, com diagnóstico e tratamento orientados. A avaliação correta da manifestação cutânea da COVID-19 é um desafio, e a viabilidade do diagnóstico por telemedicina ainda é incerta. Nosso objetivo é demonstrar a eficácia da teleconsulta em uma manifestação dermatológica durante a pandemia. Material eMétodos: Compilação retrospectiva de dados do prontuário da paciente e assinatura do termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido para o relato. Resultados: A apresentação clínica inicial foi de máculas pruriginosas difusas pelo abdome, que motivou a paciente a procurar atendimento presencial em pronto-socorro no primeiro dia de sintomas. A hipótese inicial foi de reação alérgica não especificada. Devido ao contexto da pandemia foram realizados exames de sangue e RT-PCR (swab nasofaríngeo) para COVID-19. A paciente recebeu alta medicada com antialérgico e com orientação para ser checar resultado dos exames em 24h e ter reavaliação médica se necessário. Ela foi reavaliada por telemedicina no dia seguinte, houve confirmação do diagnóstico de infecção aguda por COVID-19 (swab positivo), não houve manifestação de outros sintomas e foi possível reavaliar com precisão as lesões cutâneas remotamente. A lesão examinada por vídeo era compatível com rash morbiliforme difuso com angioedema local. A paciente recebeu orientações específicas conforme diretriz institucional e manutenção do tratamento sintomático dermatológico. Após 3 semanas, em nova reavaliação por telemedicina, houve confirmação da resolução do quadro cutâneo e ausência de outros sintomas neste período. Conclusão: A avaliação médica por telemedicina permitiu a interpretação da lesão cutânea elementar, tomada de decisão e orientação adequada. A manifestação cutânea isolada pode ser uma manifestação da COVID-19 e é factível de ser diagnosticada por teleconsulta, reforçando a necessidade de expansão do programa de telemedicina para avaliação inicial de pacientes agudos. [au]

Objectives: This paper is a case report of a COVID-19 patient with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 who had a medical evaluation by Telemedicine (TM). She presented with an isolated cutaneous manifestation and was examined by a remote general practitioner, having diagnosis and treatment guided. The correct evaluation of COVID-19 cutaneous manifestation is a challenge, and the feasibility of TM diagnosis is still uncertain. We aim to demonstrate the effectiveness of teleconsultation in a dermatological manifestation during a pandemic. Material and Methods: Retrospective data compilation from patient's medical record and the patient signed the consent form. Results: The initial clinical presentation was a diffuse pruritic macules in the abdomen, which motivated the patient to seek face-to-face care in the emergency department on the first day of symptoms. The initial hypothesis was an unspecified allergic reaction. Due to the context of the pandemic, blood tests and RT-PCR (nasopharyngeal swab) were performed for COVID-19. The patient was discharged medicated with an anti allergy and instructed to check the results of the test within 24 hours and have a medical reassessment if necessary. She was re-evaluated by TM the following day, the diagnosis of acute infection by COVID-19 was confirmed (swab positive), there was no manifestation of other symptoms and it was possible to accurately re-evaluate the skin lesions remotely. The patient had a diffuse morbilliform rash with local angioedema. The patient received specific orientations according to institutional guidelines and maintenance of dermatological symptomatic treatment. After 3 weeks, in a new reassessment by TM, there was confirmation of the resolution of the skin condition and absence of other symptoms during this period. Conclusion: The medical evaluation by TM allowed the interpretation of the elementary skin lesion, decision making and adequate guidance. The isolated cutaneous manifestation can be a manifestation of COVID-19 and it is feasible to be diagnosed by teleconsultation, reinforcing the need to expand the MT program for the initial evaluation of acute patients. [au]

Cross-sectional study of the ambulance transport between healthcare facilities with medical support via telemedicine: Easy, effective, and safe tool.

BACKGROUND: Feasibility and safety of ambulance transport between healthcare facilities with medical support exclusively via telemedicine are unknown. METHODS: This was a retrospective study with a single telemedicine center reference for satellite emergency departments of the same hospital. The study population was all critically ill patients admitted to one of the peripheral units from November 2016 to May 2020 and who needed to be transferred to the main building. Telemedicine-assisted transportation was performed by an emergency specialist. The inclusion criteria included patients above the age of 15 and initial stabilization performed at the emergency department. Unstable, intubated, ST-elevation myocardial infarction and acute stroke patients were excluded. There was a double-check of safety conditions by the nurse and the remote doctor before the ambulance departure. The primary endpoint was the number of telemedicine-guided interventions during transport. RESULTS: 2840 patients were enrolled. The population was predominantly male (53.2%) with a median age of 60 years. Sepsis was the most prevalent diagnosis in 28% of patients, followed by acute coronary syndromes (8.5%), arrhythmia (6.7%), venous thromboembolism (6.1%), stroke (6.1%), acute abdomen (3.6%), respiratory distress (3.3%), and heart failure (2.5%). Only 22 (0.8%) patients required telemedicine-assisted support during transport. Administration of oxygen therapy and analgesics were the most common recommendations made by telemedicine emergency physicians. There were no communication problems in the telemedicine-assisted group. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine-assisted ambulance transportation between healthcare facilities of stabilized critically ill patients may be an option instead of an onboard physician. The frequency of clinical support requests by telemedicine is minimal, and most evaluations are of low complexity and easily and safely performed by trained nurses.

Antibiotic stewardship in direct-to-consumer telemedicine consultations leads to high adherence to best practice guidelines and a low prescription rate.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the antibiotic prescription rate in low-risk patients evaluated at a telemedicine program that adopts antibiotic stewardship protocols. METHODS: Adult patients who accessed a single direct-to-consumer telemedicine center (Jan/2019-Feb/2020) were retrospectively enrolled. Diseases amenable to antimicrobial treatment were classified under five diagnostic groups: upper respiratory tract infection (URI), acute pharyngotonsillitis (PT), acute sinusitis (AS), urinary tract infection (UTI), and acute diarrhea (AD). Physicians were trained on and advised to strictly follow the current guideline recommendations supported by institutional antibiotic stewardship protocols, readily available online during consultations. We analyzed the antibiotic prescription rate among patients, referral rate, and antibiotic class through descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 2328 patients were included in the study. A total of 2085 (89·6%) patients were discharged with usual recommendations, medication (if needed), and instructions about red flags, while 243 (10·4%) were referred to a face-to-face consultation. Among the discharged patients, the antibiotic prescription rates by the diagnostic group were URI - 2·5%, PT - 35·0%, AS - 51·8%, UTI - 91.6%, and AD - 1·6%. In most cases, prescribed antibiotics were in line with institutional stewardship protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Low prescription rate of antibiotics can be achieved using antibiotic stewardship protocols at direct-to-consumer telemedicine consultations, showing high adherence to international guidelines. These results reinforce telemedicine as a cost-effective and safe strategy for the initial assessment of acute non-urgent symptoms.