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OBJECTIVE eHealth has growing potential to enhance access to HIV prevention for hard to reach populations, including young Latino immigrant men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. We examined the feasibility and acceptability of using eHealth tools, specifically social media platforms, to facilitate HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among this population. DESIGN We utilized a community sensitive approach to conduct 30 in-depth interviews and five focus groups with young Latino immigrant MSM in Seattle, WA. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis with both data-driven inductive and a priori deductive approaches. RESULTS Participants were open to receiving HIV information via social media platforms. Participants recommended that social media content be tailored with their language preferences, cultural norms, and beliefs about HIV testing and PrEP in mind. Further, participants emphasized that content avoid stigmatizing HIV or Latino MSM's complex identities. CONCLUSIONS Results have implications for utilizing social media platforms and developing HIV prevention interventions for Latino immigrant MSM. Findings highlight that HIV prevention content should acknowledge how identities as an emerging adult, Latino, immigrant, and MSM, warrant unique consideration.

Consumer technology in the form of personal computers, mobile devices, and wearable technology, despite current underutilization, has the potential to greatly enhance the practice of urologic oncology and the surgical care of bladder cancer patients, particularly through the dissemination of educational videos, telemedicine, and the use of wearable technology for patient monitoring. A comprehensive healthcare application can unite all of these features, providing curated educational videos at different timepoints in surgical care, facilitating communication between the patient and the care team, and interfacing with wearable technology and other peripherals to allow for nonintrusive patient monitoring to help facilitate early identification of complications and to follow post-operative patient progress. Here we seek to review the available literature on this topic, discuss our institutional experience, and provide future perspectives in the perioperative management of bladder cancer patients.

The purposes of this study were, first, to (re)design the user-interface of the activity tracker known as the MOX with the help of input from elderly individuals living independently and, second, to assess the use of and experiences with the adapted Measure It Super Simple (MISS) activity tracker in daily life.The double diamond method, which was used to (re)design the user-interface, consists of four phases: discover, define, develop, and deliver. As a departure point, this study used a list of general design requirements that facilitate the development of technology for the elderly. Usage and experiences were assessed through interviews after elderly individuals had used the activity tracker for 2 weeks.In co-creation with thirty-five elderly individuals (65 to 89-years-old) the design, feedback system, and application were further developed into a user-friendly interface: the Measure It Super Simple (MISS) activity. Twenty-eight elderly individuals (65 to 78-years-old) reported that they found the MISS activity easy to use, needed limited help when setting the tracker up, and required limited assistance when using it during their daily lives.This study offers a generic structured methodology and a list of design requirements to adapt the interface of an existing activity tracker consistent with the skills and needs of the elderly. The MISS activity seemed to be successfully (re)designed, like the elderly who participated in this pilot study reported that anyone should be able to use it.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThis study provides an overview of important characteristics of the activity tracker interface for elderly individuals that can be used when choosing an appropriate activity tracker.This study can serve as a model that demonstrates how to adapt other eHealth and mHealth tools to improve the user-centred design.The MISS activity seems to be an elderly-friendly activity tracker that can facilitate a meaningful experience.

The coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic is driving significant change in the health-care system and disrupting the best practices for diabetic limb preservation, leaving large numbers of patients without care. Patients with diabetes and foot ulcers are at increased risk for infections, hospitalization, amputations, and death. Podiatric care is associated with fewer diabetes-related amputations, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, length-of-stay, and costs. However, podiatrists must mobilize and adopt the new paradigm of shifts away from hospital care to community-based care. Implementing the proposed Pandemic Diabetic Foot Triage System, in-home visits, higher acuity office visits, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring can help podiatrists manage patients while reducing the coronavirus disease of 2019 risk. The goal of podiatrists during the pandemic is to reduce the burden on the health-care system by keeping diabetic foot and wound patients safe, functional, and at home.

Current glaucoma treatments aim to lower intraocular pressure, often with topical ocular hypotensive medications. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of these medications depends on sustained patient adherence to regimens which may involve instilling multiple medications several times daily. Patient adherence to glaucoma medications is often low. Recent innovations in digital sensor technologies have been leveraged to confirm eyedrop medication usage in real-time and relay this information back to providers. Some sensors have also been designed to deliver medication reminders and notifications as well as assist with correct eyedrop administration technique. Here, we review recent innovations targeted at improving glaucoma medication adherence and discuss their limitations.

Background Children in rural communities often lack access to subspecialty medical care. Telemedicine has the potential to improve access to these services but its effectiveness has not been rigorously evaluated for paediatric patients with endocrine conditions besides diabetes. Introduction The purpose of this study was to assess the association between telemedicine and visit attendance among patients who received care from paediatric endocrinologists at an academic medical centre in northern California between 2009–2017. Methods We abstracted demographic data, encounter information and medical diagnoses from the electronic health record for patients ≤18 years of age who attended at least one in-person or telemedicine encounter with a paediatric endocrinologist during the study period. We used a mixed effects logistic regression model – adjusted for age, diagnosis and distance from subspecialty care – to explore the association between telemedicine and visit attendance. Results A total of 40,941 encounters from 5083 unique patients were included in the analysis. Patients who scheduled telemedicine visits were predominantly publicly insured (97%) and lived a mean distance of 161 miles from the children’s hospital. Telemedicine was associated with a significantly higher odds of visit attendance (odds ratio 2.55, 95% confidence interval 2.15–3.02, p Conclusions This study demonstrates that telemedicine is associated with higher odds of visit attendance for paediatric endocrinology patients and supports the conclusion that use of telemedicine may improve access to subspecialty care for rural and publicly insured paediatric populations.

Background: Coordination between physicians and allied professionals is essential to the effective delivery of care services and is associated with positive patient outcomes. As information technology can radically transform how professionals collaborate, both researchers and health care accreditation bodies are devoting a growing interest to the means of achieving better coordination. Introduction: The primary aim of this study is to explain the extent to which and how coordination practices between pathologists, technologists, and surgeons are transformed when telepathology is being implemented. Materials and Methods: An interpretive case study was conducted. A total of 60 semi-structured interviews with key participants were conducted, in addition to several days of direct observation of telepathology-based intraoperative consultations (IOC). Results: Three major kinds of transformation of coordination practices were observed. First, the telepathology system itself constrains and disrupts coordination routines, such as the presentation of slides. Second, anticipating IOC, proactively performed by the laboratory personnel in traditional settings, requires more formal requests in a telepathology context. Third, local technologists become more autonomous in performing complex macroscopy manipulations and managing the laboratory, tasks traditionally performed by pathologists. Conclusions: Successful coordination of work in a telepathology-based IOC context requires that significant transformations be anticipated and accounted for. Project managers need to formalize new work processes, support the transformations in professional roles and mitigate the major hindrances that small material changes may have on work routines.

Background: Women with insulin-treated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) require close monitoring and support to manage their diabetes. Recent changes to the diagnostic criteria have implications for service provision stemming from increased prevalence, suggesting an increased burden on health services in the future. Telemedicine may augment usual care and mitigate service burdens without compromising clinical outcomes but evidence in GDM is limited. Objective: The Telemedicine for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (TeleGDM) trial aims to explore the use of telemedicine in supporting care and management of women with GDM treated with insulin. Methods: The TeleGDM is a mixed-methods study comprising an exploratory randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a qualitative evaluation using semistructured interviews. It involves women with insulin-treated GDM who are up to 35 weeks gestation. Participating patients (n=100) are recruited face-to-face in outpatient GDM clinics at an outer metropolitan tertiary hospital with a culturally diverse catchment and a regional tertiary hospital. The second group of participants (n=8) comprises Credentialed Diabetes Educator Registered Nurses involved in routine care of the women with GDM at the participating clinics. The RCT involves use of a Web-based patient-controlled personal health record for GDM data sharing between patients and clinicians compared to usual care. Outcomes include service utilization, maternal and fetal outcomes (eg, glycemic control, 2nd and 3rd trimester fetal size, type of delivery, baby birth weight), diabetes self-efficacy, satisfaction, and costs. Semistructured interviews will be used to examine user experiences and acceptability of telemedicine. Results: The trial recruitment is currently underway. Results are expected by the end of 2016 and will be reported in a follow-up paper. Conclusions: Innovative use of technology in supporting usual care delivery in women with GDM may facilitate timely access to GDM monitoring data and mitigate care burdens without compromising maternal and fetal outcomes. The intervention may potentially reduce health service utilization. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12614000934640; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=366740 (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6jRiqzjSv).

Introduction. Telemedicine and telehealth technologies are especially effective during epidemic outbreaks, when health authorities recommend implementing social distance systems. Currently, coronavirus COVID-19 has affected 210 countries around the world, killed more than 240,000 and infected more than 3.4 million, according to Worldmeter, 03 May, 2020. Aim. The article reveals scope of pharmacy professionals in telemedicine sector during epidemic outbreaks. Material and methods. PubMed, ALTAVISTA, Embase, Scopus, the Science Web and the Cochrane Central Register have been carefully searched. The keywords were used to search out extensively followed journals from various publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, Willey Online Library, and Wolters Kluwer. Results. Home-care is especially important in these situations because hospitals are not seemingly safe during pandemic outbreaks. Also, the chance to get out of the home during the lockdown period is limited. Telephone-based measures improve efficiency by linking appropriate information and feedback. It can also help provide education at distance on various health issues and topics. Conclusion. In addition to increasing access to healthcare, telemedicine is a fruitful and proactive way to provide a variety of benefits to patients seeking healthcare; diagnose and monitor critical and chronic health conditions; improve healthcare quality and reduce costs.

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Aims: To describe a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial which will evaluate the effectiveness of a gamified mobile health intervention for children in whole day surgery care. Design: A study protocol for a two-arm randomized controlled trial. Methods: Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (N = 62), in which patients receive routine care and play a mobile game designed for children or the control group (N = 62), in which patients receive routine care, including a mobile phone application that supports parents during the care path. The primary outcome is children's pre-operative anxiety, while the secondary outcome measures included fear and postoperative pain, along with parental satisfaction and anxiety. Data collection started in August 2020. Results: The results of the ongoing randomized controlled trial will determine whether the developed gamified mobile health intervention can be recommended for hospital use, and whether it could be used to educate children about their surgical treatment to decrease anxiety.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients living in regional or remote Queensland are often disadvantaged by limited access to IBD specialist care. Telehealth clinics could potentially address this disparity and improve patient outcomes. Aim We report the impact of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) IBD telehealth clinics from March 2011 to December 2017 including patient satisfaction and healthcare activity. Methods Patient satisfaction surveys were collected prospectively between March 2011 and March 2012. Healthcare activity was assessed through occasions of service (OOS), number of enrolled patients on biologics and IBD related admissions to RBWH. Results Overall, 3764 OOS were completed including 576 new patient and 3188 follow up visits. Mean age at first telehealth visit was 44 years (range:16-87). The IBD telehealth clinics were well accepted with 99% of the first 153 patients surveyed choosing to continue with telehealth and 94% rated the telehealth experience as very good or excellent. The net number of patients under active review increased from 125 patients in 2011 to 345 patients in 2017. Enrolled patients on biologics also increased from 9 patients in 2011 to 63 patients in 2017. There was an initial dip in annual IBD related admissions to RBWH in 2011 but these have progressively increased over time although the average length of inpatient stay annually has remained stable. Conclusion The RBWH IBD telehealth clinics have shown that telemedicine is well received and can be used successfully to deliver IBD specialist care to patients living in regional or remote areas. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Telepsychology has the potential to help mental health service providers reach millions of people in rural areas or those limited by other factors. This study examined pre-COVID-19 deterrents reported by psychologists who did not use telepsychology. Participants were 1,400 psychologists with an average of 26.3 (SD = 11.18) years in practice who were currently practicing within the United States but did not currently use telepsychology. All 50 states were represented as well as Washington, DC. The most commonly reported deterrents, from most to least frequent, were insufficient training, client safety/crisis concerns, privacy, legality, ethics, reimbursement, efficacy, prohibitive organizational policies/culture, and insufficient demand. Logistic regression analyses suggested that psychologists' deterrents varied based in part on demographic and practice characteristics. Psychologists practicing within medical centers or Veterans Affairs facilities were less likely to indicate safety, privacy, legal issues, ethics, and efficacy as a concern. Older psychologists were less deterred by reimbursement issues and more concerned about effectiveness. Those using cognitive-behavioral approaches were less likely to report efficacy and safety concerns. Cisgender men were less likely to be deterred by safety or privacy issues, and White psychologists were less likely to indicate safety as a deterrent. Additional telepsychology training and information for psychologists may increase its use and foster improved mental health care access for populations unable to attend in-person sessions. A more focused approach to training and implementation of telepsychology that considers the needs and concerns of the target psychologist group could benefit organizations promoting its use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed health care, spurring a revolution in digital health technologies. Across the world, hundreds of thousands of health care systems are considering a central question: how do we connect with our patients? Digital health has been used as a stopgap in many cases to continue the essential functions of health systems. As the post-pandemic world and our "new normal" come into focus, further needs will have to be met with a digital patient interaction, with an eye toward value transformation. One barrier to fully leveraging digital tools is the lack of a framework for classifying the type of digital health care. This can limit our ability to design, deploy, evaluate, and communicate through digital means. This article presents 3 categories of digital health and their relationships to value metrics: (1) telehealth or direct care delivery, (2) digital access tools, and (3) digital monitoring. An evidence-based discussion reveals past successes, current promises, and future challenges in reducing defects in value through digital care. In the coming years, value transformation will become more crucial to the success of health care systems. By using the taxonomy in this article, health systems can better implement digital tools with a value-driven purpose. Defining the role of digital health in the post-pandemic world is needed to assist health systems and practices to build a bridge to value-based care.

Objectives To assess the extent to which shared decision making (SDM) can take place in telemedicine (remote SDM). Methods We searched Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus from 2010 until August 7th, 2020 for articles on remote SDM in the care of any patient using any technology. We also conducted a search for telemedicine articles citing key reports on SDM outcome measures. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, reviewed full text eligible studies, and synthesized their content using thematic analysis. Results Of the 12 eligible articles, most were European with patients with chronic disease or mental and behavioral health. 8 articles used synchronous remote SDM and 1 used asynchronous remote SDM. Themes related to interactional workability of both telemedicine technologies and SDM emerged, namely access to broadband, digital literacy, and satisfaction with the convenience of remote visits. Conclusions Telemedicine technologies may foster virtual interactions that support remote SDM, which, in turn, may promote productive patient-clinician interactions and patient-centered care. Practice implications Digitally-mediated consultations surged amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which SDM frameworks developed for in-person use need any adaptation for remote SDM remains unclear. Investment in innovation, design, implementation, and effectiveness research to advance remote SDM are needed.

Study design Survey Study. Purpose To investigate recent practice changes with respect to the provision of virtual visits by hand therapists due to the COVID-19 pandemic by asking about changes in the frequency of virtual visits, the assessments and treatments currently provided virtually, and the opinions of therapists on the future on virtual visits in hand therapy practice. Methods The survey was distributed to the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT), the Australian Hand Therapy Association (AHTA), the Canadian Society of Hand Therapists (CSHT), and the European Federation for the Societies of Hand Therapy (EFSHT). Results Of the 819 responses, there were 573 therapists (70%) who reported that they currently use virtual visits in their practice. Only 38 therapists (4.6%) were providing virtual visits prior to COVID-19, representing a 15-fold increase in virtual visits since the beginning of the pandemic. Only 26% (n = 213) reported that they used patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in conjunction with their virtual visits. Approximately 78% (n = 638) said that they thought there is a sustainable future for this method of care in hand therapy practice. Discussion This survey has helped identify the changing landscape in the provision of rehabilitation and established some of the common assessments and interventions currently utilized by hand therapists in the virtual environment. Next, steps for research are to investigate the reliability and validity of some of the assessments and interventions used, to establish whether virtual care will provide good outcomes for patients, and ultimately understand the optimal combination of conventional therapy and virtual care.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health event. Wuhan used to be the epicenter of China and finally controlled the outbreak through city lockdown and many other policies. However, the pandemic and the prevention strategies had a huge impact on the medical care procedures for breast cancer patients, leading to the delay or interruption of anticancer therapies. To better serve breast cancer patients under the premise of epidemic control, many strategies have been proposed and optimized in our center. One of the most important parts of these strategies is the promotion of telemedicine, including online consultation, online prescription, and drug mailing services. In keeping with the city and hospital policies, we have also introduced stricter ward management policies and more precise care. Here, we collected the diagnosis and treatment process of breast cancer patients in our center during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was found to be correlated to a reduction in chemotherapy-related myelosuppression and hepatic dysfunction, hoping to provide a reference for other cancer centers that may suffer from the similar situation. MicroAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic has a huge impact on the medical care procedures for breast cancer patients. Here we share our experience in the management of breast cancer patients during the pandemic in Wuhan, and it is found to be correlated to a reduction in chemotherapy-related myelosuppression and hepatic dysfunction, which may provide a reference for other centers.

The increasing focus on efficiency of care has prompted health systems to look for innovative solutions that yield maximum value for care. Integration of care and eHealth are seen as the most promising solutions in the high technological environment of the coming decades. Pharmacy services have been developed to a point where the face of community pharmacy has changed dramatically. Thus, service design and implementation has become an area of increased attention by Pharmacy practice researchers, and the arrival of eHealth concepts to Pharmacy is driving the need to find alternative ways to design new services. Moreover, known barriers and challenges remain when securing integration of pharmacy services with the health systems. In this paper, Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM), a user-centered alternative methodology to the design, development and implementation of health services, especially eHealth services, is presented. This alternative, originally from the Information Sciences field, has been adopted as a service design methodology in diverse settings, including health care. Here, case studies are used to explain how a DSRM process should be conducted in a health care setting, illustrating what methods to choose in each step of the process. Finally, the advantages of DSRM compared to other user-centered methodologies for service design are presented, hopefully prompting the discussion on the use of DSRM for the study of the implementation and sustainability of pharmacy services.

PURPOSE More than 325,000 mobile health (mhealth) applications (apps) have been developed. We sought to describe the state of oncology-specific apps and to highlight areas of strength and opportunities for future development. METHODS We searched for oncology apps in the Apple iOS and Google Play app stores in January 2020. Apps were classified by English language support, date of last update, downloads, intended audience, intended purpose, and developer type. RESULTS We identified 794 oncology-specific, English language applications; only 257 (32%) met basic recency standards and were considered evaluable. Of evaluable apps, almost half (47%) were found in the Medical Store Category and the majority were free (88%). The most common intended audience was health care professionals (45%), with 28% being geared toward the general public and 27% being intended for patients. The intended function was education for 36%, clinical decision support for 19.5%, and patient support for 18%. Only 23% of education apps and 40% of clinical decision support apps reported any formal app content review process. Web developers created 61.5% of apps, scientific societies created 10%, and hospitals or health care organizations created just 6%. Of 54 studies that used mobile apps in oncology identified by a recent meta-analysis, only two could be matched to commercially available apps from our study, suggesting a substantial divide between investigation and product dissemination. CONCLUSION Relatively few oncology-related apps exist in the commercial marketplace, up-to-date apps are uncommon, and there is a notable absence of key oncology stakeholders in app development. Meaningful development opportunities exist.

Background Smartphone apps have potential for delivering interventions and supporting self-management in bipolar disorder (BD), however clinical trials of mental health apps have high dropout rates and low sustained use in real-world contexts. To support the development of app-based interventions, we explored use of and attitudes towards apps amongst people with BD, specifically concerns about privacy and preferences for various app features. Methods An international web-based survey was used to investigate concerns about privacy and the perceived importance of various app features among people with BD. Quantitative findings were summarised using descriptive statistics. Qualitative content analysis was used to investigate free-text responses. Results A total of 919 people completed the survey; 97.5% reported using smartphone apps in general. Concerns regarding data security were prevalent. Commonly prioritised mHealth features included content quality/accuracy, ease and flexibility of use, cost, and data security. The ability to share data with others, rewards for use, inter-app connectivity, and peer support were endorsed as important by fewer than half of respondents. Qualitative findings suggested that sustained app use could be supported by novel and positive content, customisation, meaningful use of data, interactivity, and perceived real-world benefits. Conclusions The findings of the present study offer important design considerations for the development and evaluation of future app-based interventions for BD. Importantly, some features that have previously been suggested as clinically beneficial or likely to support engagement were perceived ambivalently, emphasising the need for in-depth consultation with potential end users during app development.

Using telemedicine to improve asthma management in underserved communities has been shown to be highly effective. However, program operating costs are perceived as the main barrier to dissemination and scaling up. This study evaluated whether a novel, evidence-based School-Based Telemedicine Enhanced Asthma Management (SB-TEAM) program, designed to overcome barriers to care for families of urban school-aged children, can be financially sustainable in real-world urban school settings. Eligible children (n = 400) had physician-diagnosed asthma with persistent or poorly controlled symptoms at baseline. Total costs included the cost of implementing and running the SB-TEAM program, asthma-related health care costs, cost of caregiver lost productivity in wages related to child illness, and school absenteeism fees. Using data from the SB-TEAM study and national data on wages and equipment costs, the authors modeled low, actual, and high-cost scenarios. The actual cost of administering the SB-TEAM program averaged $344 per child. Expenses incurred by families for medical care ($982), caregiver productivity cost ($415), and school absenteeism costs ($284) in SB-TEAM were not different from the costs in the control group ($1594, $492, and $318 [P > 0.05]). The study findings remained robust under sensitivity analyses for various state- and school-specific regulations, staffing requirements, and wages. The authors concluded that the SB-TEAM program operating costs may be offset by the reduction in health care costs, caregiver lost wages, and school absenteeism associated with the program health benefit.

The objective was to summarize data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing uptake, social determinants of health, and patient satisfaction with mobile health clinic services within underserved minority and low-income communities. This COVID-19 pilot project was conducted during June and July 2020 in low-income residential neighborhoods in West Baltimore, Maryland. Quantitative data were collected and assessed cross-sectionally. Demographically, 85% of the patients identified as Black or African American (n = 265) and 58.2% as female (n = 184). The COVID-19 test was administered by the registered nurse to 78.2% (n = 288) of the patients. More than 90% of patients confirmed high levels of satisfaction with the services they received from the community mobile health clinic. Social determinants were assessed and females reported significantly worse health literacy than their male counterparts (P

PURPOSECOVID-19 has infected more than 94 million people worldwide and caused more than 2 million deaths. Patients with cancer are at significantly increased risk compared with the general population. Telemedicine represents a common strategy to prevent viral spread. We sought to evaluate patient with cancer and physician perceptions of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODSA 16-question survey was e-mailed to 1,843 active e-mails of patients presenting to one of the six cancer clinics at a comprehensive cancer care center from January 1, 2020, to June 1, 2020. A six-question survey was e-mailed to attending physicians of those clinics. Specialties included Medical Oncology, Hematology-Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Urological Oncology, and Gynecologic Oncology.RESULTSThree hundred seventy-four patients (20.3%) and 14 physicians (66.7%) responded. Most (68.2%) currently prefer in-person visits, and 80.4% prefer in-person visits following pandemic resolution. More than half (52.2%) of patients preferring virtual visits do so because of convenience. Most (63.1%) patients with cancer are comfortable with a complete physical examination. Surgical patients are more likely to prefer a complete examination ( P = .0476). Physicians prefer in-person visits (64.2%) and believe that virtual visits maybe or probably do not provide comparable care (64.2%). 71.4% believe that virtual visits help prevent the spread of infectious disease.CONCLUSIONGiven preferences for in-person visits, cancer care teams should be prepared to continue providing in-person visits for many of their patients. The discrepancy between patient and provider concern for spread of infectious disease represents an area where patients may benefit from increased education. Providers should feel comfortable performing physical examinations at their own discretion.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is a paradigm-shifting immunotherapy modality in oncology; however, unique toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome limit its ability to be implemented more widely in the outpatient setting or at smaller-volume centers. Three operational challenges with CAR-T therapy include the following: (1) the logistics of toxicity monitoring, ie, with frequent vital sign checks and neurologic assessments; (2) the specialized knowledge required for toxicity management, particularly with regard to CRS and immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome; and (3) the need for high-quality symptomatic and supportive care during this intensive period. In this review, we explore potential niches for digital innovations that can improve the implementation of CAR-T therapy in each of these domains. These tools include patient-facing technologies and provider-facing platforms: for example, wearable devices and mobile health apps to screen for fevers and encephalopathy, electronic patient-reported outcome assessments–based workflows to assist with symptom management, machine learning algorithms to predict emerging CRS in real time, clinical decision support systems to assist with toxicity management, and digital coaching to help maintain wellness. Televisits, which have grown in prominence since the novel coronavirus pandemic, will continue to play a key role in the monitoring and management of CAR-T–related toxicities as well. Limitations of these strategies include the need to ensure care equity and stakeholder buy-in, both operationally and financially. Nevertheless, once developed and validated, the next-generation implementation of CAR-T therapy using these digital tools may improve both its safety and accessibility.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic promoted hitherto unseen uptake of telemedicine by ophthalmologists. We performed a mixed methods study to explore patters of utilization during the pandemic and perceived future utility. Methods Ophthalmologists practicing in Canada between March and July 2020 were invited to complete an online questionnaire assessing demographics, clinical practice characteristics and telemedicine utilization prior to and during the pandemic. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to analyze the data. Agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify groups who varied on the types of visits offered using telemedicine. Ten one-on-one interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic content analysis to explain trends observed in the survey data. Results Seventy-three ophthalmologists completed the survey. Six percent reported using telemedicine prior to the pandemic compared to 80% during the pandemic. A significant majority (81%) primarily used the telephone for telemedicine visits. Overall, visit volumes during the pandemic declined to 40% of pre-pandemic levels, with a smaller decline for ophthalmologists who used telemedicine than those who did not. Those who used telemedicine for all visit types were more likely to use telemedicine software and to anticipate a modest-to-large role for telemedicine in their future practice. Discussion For many ophthalmologists, integrating telemedicine into clinical practice may have partially offset the disruption to normal clinical activities during the pandemic. While the majority saw telemedicine as a temporary solution, a sizeable minority appear to have made considerable use of the technology and see an ongoing role for it once regular clinical activities resume.

Objective The objective of this work was to describe an efficient and sustainable outreach model in a resource-constrained environment, with a multifaceted approach focusing on national policy change, telemedicine, injury prevention, education and treatment of burns. Summary background data Burn injury constitutes a significant portion of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in children, and in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We reviewed the impact of ten-years of a burn outreach program. Our focus was on clinical data on burn care within one region of Ukraine. We assessed knowledge of burn prevention/first aid utilizing a large survey, analyzed clinical data from our outreach clinic and telemedicine program, and analyzed data within a newly created burn repository within Ukraine. Results A national burn prevention policy has been implemented through our efforts along with a burn prevention program. Educational efforts have led to improvements of major complication rates (wound infection [7% vs. 16%], pneumonia [2.4% vs. 0.3%], sepsis [1.6% vs. 0.6%], UTI [2% vs. 0.6%], and cellulitis [11% vs. 3.4%]), respiratory support of acutely ill patients [1.3% vs. 0.4%], and blood transfusion triggers. Conclusions Broadly, our model could be an example of building sustainable outreach programs in resource-constrained environments. Through collaboration with local healthcare providers, we have developed and implemented an outreach program in a resource-constrained environment.

Objective: To measure the changes in the number of medical visits and the number of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) determinations according to telemedicine access in children with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) du...

Introduction: The disproportionate costs of state-of-the-art endoscopic equipment prohibit urologists from performing endoscopy in underserved countries. Given the global prevalence of smartphones,...

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) incorporating artificial intelligence for skin cancer screening are increasingly reimbursed by health insurers. However, an in-depth exploration of the general public’s views towards these apps is lacking. Objectives: To explore the perceived barriers and facilitators towards mHealth apps for skin cancer screening among the Dutch general population. Methods: A qualitative study consisting of four focus groups with 27 participants was conducted. A two-stage purposive sampling method was used to include information-rich participants from the Dutch general population with varying experience of mHealth. A topic guide was used to structure the sessions. All focus group meetings were transcribed verbatim and analysed in thematic content analysis by two researchers using several coding phases, resulting in an overview of themes and subthemes, categorized as (sub-)barriers and (sub)facilitators. Results: Main barriers to using mHealth apps included a perceived lack of value, perception of untrustworthiness, preference for a doctor, privacy concerns, a complex user interface, and high costs. The main factors facilitating the use of mHealth among the general population were a high perceived value, a transparent and trustworthy identity of app developers, endorsement by healthcare providers and government regulating bodies, and ease and low costs of use. Conclusions: To increase successful adoption in skin cancer screening apps, developers should create a transparent identity and build trustworthy apps. Collaboration between app developers, general practitioners and dermatologists is advocated to improve mHealth integration with skin cancer care. Special attention should be given to the development of low-cost, privacy-friendly, easy-to-use apps.

Resumen: Introducción: El seguimiento telefónico es una posible alternativa para la atención médica de niños con COVID-19. Nuestro objetivo es describir la experiencia del seguimiento telemático realizado en un hospital terciario. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de los niños con diagnóstico confirmado o probable de COVID-19 atendidos en la consulta de seguimiento del Hospital La Paz entre marzo y junio del 2020. Se realizaron llamadas cada 48 h hasta desaparecer los síntomas y posteriormente semanales hasta estar 14 días asintomáticos. Resultados: Se incluyó a 72 niños con una mediana de edad de 83,5 meses (RIC = 16,3-157,5); 46 eran varones (63,9%) y 14 tenían comorbilidades (19,4%); 32 pacientes (44,4%) habían requerido ingreso hospitalario. Se confirmó diagnóstico de COVID-19 en 33 niños por PCR y en 7 por serología. De los confirmados por PCR, seroconvirtió el 67,7%. Se demostraron otras etiologías en 7 pacientes (5 Mycoplasma pneumoniae, uno parvovirus y uno citomegalovirus).La mediana de duración de síntomas fue 25,5 días (RIC = 13,8-37), con mediana de tiempo de seguimiento de 28 días (RIC = 21-39). Se realizó una mediana de 6 llamadas (RIC = 4-8) por niño; 19 pacientes (26,4%) refirieron empeoramiento en el seguimiento, precisando 14 (19,4%) ser revaluados en Urgencias. Un niño necesitó reingresar, siendo la evolución favorable. Conclusiones: Ante sospecha de COVID-19, es recomendable el seguimiento médico por la prolongada duración de síntomas y el riesgo de empeoramiento. Las consultas telefónicas son útiles y seguras para el seguimiento de casos leves y pacientes hospitalizados tras el alta, permitiendo reducir controles presenciales y el consumo de otros recursos. Abstract: Introduction: Telemedicine is an attractive option for the follow-up of paediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this article is to describe the experience with telephone consultations in a tertiary hospital. Patients and methods: Retrospective descriptive study of children with confirmed or probable diagnosis of COVID-19 attended by telephone consultations in Hospital La Paz (Madrid) between March and June 2020. Patients were referred from the Emergency Department after being discharged from the hospital. Telephone consultations were made every 48 hours until symptoms resolved, then weekly until completing 14 days without symptoms. Results: A total of 72 children were included, with median age of 83.5 months (IQR = 16.3-157.5). Of those 46 (63.9%) were male, and 14 (19.4%) had comorbidities. There were 32 (44.4%) hospital admissions. COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed in 33 children by RT-PCR, and in 7 by serology tests. The seroconversion rate was 67.7% in those patients with a positive RT-PCR. Other infections were found in 7 patients (5 Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 1 parvovirus, and 1 cytomegalovirus).Median symptom duration was 25.5 days (IQR = 13.8-37), while median follow-up duration was 28 days (IQR = 21-39). The median number of telephone consultations per patient was 6 (IQR = 4-8). Clinical worsening was reported in 19 (26.4%) during follow-up, and 14 (19.4%) were re-evaluated in the Emergency Department. One patient required hospital admission, but he had a favourable outcome. Conclusions: Children with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection should be followed-up due to prolonged duration of symptoms, and the risk of clinical deterioration. Telephone consultations are a useful and safe alternative for the follow-up of patients with mild symptoms, and for children discharged from the hospital.

Purpose To evaluate the safety, reliability, and efficacy of telemedicine in delivering tertiary subspecialty glaucoma care (herein referred to as teleglaucoma) to the veteran patient population. Design Prospective case series. Participants Twenty patients being referred for glaucoma subspecialist opinion participated in the pilot safety study. One hundred eighteen patients participated in the secondary study of the acceptability and service efficacy of teleglaucoma. Methods In the pilot study, safety was assessed by determining interobserver and intraobserver consistency (Krippendorff’s α). This compared an in-person assessment by a glaucoma subspecialist with the remote assessment of 2 other glaucoma subspecialists (electronic health record alone reviewed). In the secondary study, teleglaucoma was implemented whereby testing and eye examination were carried out remotely by an optometrist or comprehensive ophthalmologist, and the clinical decision was made by the glaucoma subspecialist on review of the electronic health record alone. Main Outcome Measures In the pilot study, interobserver and intraobserver consistency in making a diagnosis and treatment plan (acceptable, ≥ 0.80 Krippendorff’s α). In the secondary study, patient satisfaction measured by survey, wait time for teleglaucoma opinion versus wait time for in-person opinion, and time spent on teleglaucoma consultations. Results Interobserver and intraobserver consistency showed an α of 0.86 and 0.92, respectively, for diagnosis, and 0.86 and 0.85, respectively, for treatment plan. In the secondary study, patient satisfaction was 4.55 of 5.00 (5 = maximum satisfaction; range, 3.28–4.93). Improved consultation lead time was demonstrated, with the median time for a doctor to respond to an electronic consultation being 3 days, versus 43 days for an in-person visit. Teleglaucoma also demonstrated positive benefits to the health care system by reducing the time doctors spent reviewing each patient’s case (history, examination findings, imaging results, visual fields; 19 minutes for teleglaucoma consultation vs. 31 minutes for in-person evaluation). Conclusions Decisions regarding diagnoses and treatment plans between in-person consultation and the teleglaucoma program showed high reliability. Patient satisfaction was high. Additional benefits were observed in wait time for subspecialty glaucoma opinion, efficient allocation of the doctor’s time, and fiscal benefit to the health care system.

Introduction : The purpose of the present study was to assess orthopedic and orthopedic trauma patients’ willingness to perform hypothetical remote video consultations, possible advantages as well as concerns. Methods : Between June 2019 and November 2019, a survey amongst consecutive regular orthopedic and orthopedic trauma patients at the outpatient clinics from three European level I trauma centers was conducted via paper-based questionnaires, composed of participants` demographics as well as five open and closed questions. Participation was voluntary and anonymity was granted. Results : In total, 780 participants (female 302, 38.7%, male 478, 61.3%) with a mean age of 43.8 years (SD 17.1, range from 14 years to 94 years) were included. The majority of the participants (57,6%) were eager to use a remote consultation. Participants with an age of more than 55 years were significantly less likely to use a remote consultation than their younger counterparts (OR= 0.18, p=0.003. r2=0.141). Among the whole study population, 86.2% stated, that they had a device compatible with an online video consultation. The highest willingness to conduct a video consultation in respect of the participants` occupation was observed in “part-time”-jobs (70.6%), whereas the lowest disposition was seen in retired patients (37.1%) (p= 0.0001). The most stated reason why to conduct a video consultation was “communication of medical findings” (67.8%). The most stated advantage was the “reduction of physical consultations” (66.4%). “No physical examination” was the most frequently stated disadvantage (75.9%). Conclusion : The majority of orthopedic and orthopedic trauma outpatients would use a video consultation, especially because of commuting and time issues and ideally to communicate medical findings, such as x-ray reports or lab values. Elderly patients appear to be less eager in regard to video consultations. These results may change for even better acceptance in view of a current pandemic situation, as experienced since early 2020. We feel that this assumption may warrant further investigation. Level of evidence : IV

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed cancer care with the rapid expansion of telemedicine, but given the limited use of telemedicine in oncology, concerns have been raised about the quality of care being delivered. We assessed the patient experience with telemedicine in routine radiation oncology practice to determine satisfaction, quality of care, and opportunities for optimization.Patients and Methods:Patients seen within a multistate comprehensive cancer center for prepandemic office visits and intrapandemic telemedicine visits in December 2019 through June 2020 who completed patient experience questionnaires were evaluated. Patient satisfaction between office and telemedicine consultations were compared, patient visit-type preferences were assessed, and factors associated with an office visit preference were determined.Results:In total, 1,077 patients were assessed (office visit, n=726; telemedicine, n=351). The telemedicine-consult survey response rate was 40%. No significant differences were seen in satisfaction scores between office and telemedicine consultations, including the appointment experience versus expectation, quality of physician’s explanation, and level of physician concern and friendliness. Among telemedicine survey respondents, 45% and 34% preferred telemedicine and office visits, respectively, and 21% had no preference for their visit type. Most respondents found their confidence in their physician (90%), understanding of the treatment plan (88%), and confidence in their treatment (87%) to be better or no different than with an office visit. Patients with better performance status and who were married/partnered were more likely to prefer in-person office visit consultations (odds ratio [OR], 1.04 [95% CI, 1.00–1.08];P=.047, and 2.41 [95% CI, 1.14–5.47];P=.009, respectively). Patients with telephone-only encounters were more likely to report better treatment plan understanding with an office visit (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.00–4.77;P=.04).Conclusions:This study is the first to assess telemedicine in routine radiation oncology practice, and found high patient satisfaction and confidence in their care. Optimization of telemedicine in oncology should be a priority, specifically access to audiovisual capabilities that can improve patient–oncologist communication.

Background Cancer survivors living in rural and remote areas of Australia experience poorer health outcomes than their metropolitan counterparts. Telehealth provides opportunities for the delivery of survivorship care. Aim To investigate the preparedness of the cancer nursing workforce in Australia to deliver survivorship care using telehealth. Methods Through a nationally disseminated online survey, nurses’ perceptions, attitudes and use of telehealth to deliver cancer survivorship care were assessed using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM21) scale. Educational and occupational characteristics were also collected. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Findings Seventy-nine respondents completed the survey. Fifteen nurses (19%) used telehealth for cancer survivorship care, with nurses in Queensland and New South Wales five times more likely to use telehealth. Telehealth users had significantly higher mean scores indicating greater acceptance of telehealth for each TAM21 domain and overall (all p Discussion While cancer nurses have positive attitudes towards the use of telehealth for survivorship care, actual use is low. Attitudes are therefore poor predictors for telehealth use. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed challenges experienced by nurses with telehealth-related practice. Conclusion Cancer nurses are well placed to provide telehealth-facilitated survivorship care. However, the potential of telehealth to close the disparity gap for survivors living in rural and remote areas in Australia, is far from realised. In addition to further research required, lessons learned from the pandemic will be critical to inform the development and implementation of telehealth-facilitated cancer survivorship care.

Purpose: COVID pandemic significantly affected the delivery and maintenance of healthcare system, resulting in greater utilization of digital health interventions. Materials and Methods: This multi-national cross-sectional survey was administered to clinicians working in major Asia-Pacific cities during the mandatory social lockdown period in June 2020. Clinical demographics and professional data, delivery of Andrology-related healthcare services, and patient distress based on validated questionnaires such as Depression and Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and Decisional Engagement Scale (DES) were collected. Results: Telehealth medicine was instituted in all the centres with the majority of centres (92.9%) reported a 50% or more reduction in out-patient related services. The numbers of phone calls, emails correspondence and educational webinars have significantly increased. Despite the provision of reasons for changes in healthcare service and delay in surgery, more than half of the patients (57.1%) rated 2 on the DASS score for the item on patients over-react to situations, while a third of the patients (35.7%) scored a 2 for DASS item on patients being more demanding or unreasonable. The DES scores were more positive with most patients reported a score above 7 out of 10 in terms of items on accepting current arrangement (85.7%), confident in clinician decision-making about treatment (92.9%) and comfortable that the decision is consistent with their preferences (71.4%). Most patients (85.7%) indicated their preferences for more detailed information on healthcare provision. Conclusions: Our study showed telehealth services were integrated early and successfully during the COVID pandemic and patients were generally receptive with minimal psychosocial distress.

Objective To evaluate the urology providers’ (through a range of training levels) experience utilizing telemedicine given the rapid nationwide implementation of telemedicine in urology practices due to COVID-19. Several studies focusing on the patient's perspective have illustrated that telemedicine is comparable to traditional office visits in terms of cost, communication, and overall satisfaction. However, there is sparse data on the provider's experience. Methods With IRB approval, we assessed provider satisfaction with telemedicine at Urology programs in the U.S. through an electronic survey. The 25-question survey was based on the Patient Assessment of Communication of Telehealth which is a validated 33 question instrument that has been utilized to assess the quality of patient-provider communication in telemedicine. Experience with telemedicine was assessed in 2 categories: technical aspects and communication with patients. Variables were rated using a 5-point Likert Scale. Results There were 144 responses to the survey. 50% of providers reported not receiving any formal training in using telemedicine. This differed significantly by training level with 55% of attendings having had received training vs 20% of residents. Providers felt they would most benefit from training in billing (52%) rather than equipment use (33%) or communication (28%). 87% of providers felt comfortable discussing sensitive topics while only 55% felt comfortable using telehealth to schedule surgery (P Conclusion Urology providers are generally satisfied with their experience communicating with patients via telemedicine and the majority would opt to continue utilizing telemedicine. Nevertheless, many providers are hesitant to schedule surgery via telemedicine. Providers would benefit from formal training in telemedicine.

Contains fulltext : 244716.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) RESEARCH QUESTION: How do infertility patients, endometriosis patients and health-care providers rate virtual care as an alternative to physical consultations during the first lockdown of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Netherlands, and how does this influence quality of life and quality of care? DESIGN: Infertility patients and endometriosis patients from a university hospital and members of national patient organizations, as well as healthcare providers in infertility and endometriosis care, were asked to participate between May and October 2020. The distributed online questionnaires consisted of an appraisal of virtual care and an assessment of fertility-related quality of life (FertiQol) and patient-centredness of endometriosis care (ENDOCARE). RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 330 infertility patients, 181 endometriosis patients and 101 healthcare providers. Of these, 75.9% of infertility patients, 64.8% of endometriosis patients and 80% of healthcare providers rated telephone consultations as a good alternative to physical consultations during the COVID-19-pandemic. Only 21.3%, 14.8% and 19.2% of the three groups rated telephone consultations as a good replacement for physical consultations in the future. A total of 76.6% and 35.9% of the infertility and endometriosis patients reported increased levels of stress during the pandemic. Infertility patients scored lower on the FertiQol, while the ENDOCARE results care seem comparable to the reference population. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual care seems to be a good alternative for infertility and endometriosis patients in circumstances where physical consultations are not possible. Self-reported stress is especially high in infertility patients during the COVID-19-pandemic. Healthcare providers should aim to improve their patients' ability to cope.

La pandemia producida por el coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) ha obligado, en muchos casos a sustituir la consulta presencial por la consulta telemática para reducir el riesgo de contagio asociado a la presencia de pacientes en los centros sanitarios. Este cambio puede representar una oportunidad para una comunicación diferente y más eficiente entre profesionales y pacientes, permitiendo mejorar la accesibilidad a la atención médica y un abordaje más sistemático e integral a los pacientes con hipertensión y riesgo cardiovascular. No obstante, se necesitan herramientas organizativas que faciliten la comunicación entre pacientes y profesionales, específicamente con intercambio de datos clínicos que favorezcan la monitorización remota de las variables asociadas a la hipertensión y riesgo cardiovascular (presión arterial, peso, talla, variables analíticas…) y permitan realizar un seguimiento adecuado en aspectos como la adherencia a los tratamientos, estilos de vida y factores de riesgo. Todo ello sería deseable que fuera realizado por equipos multidisciplinares, tanto de atención primaria como hospitalaria y farmacia comunitaria, con una coordinación adecuada del cuidado en este tipo de pacientes. Este documento de la Sociedad Española de Hipertensión-Liga Española para la Lucha contra la Hipertensión Arterial (SEH-LELHA) trata de dar las claves para mejorar la calidad asistencial de las consultas telemáticas de los pacientes con hipertensión y riesgo cardiovascular, proporcionar criterios básicos de atención telemática o presencial y sistematizar el contenido de estas. Así mismo se plantean los criterios de seguimiento por los diferentes profesionales.

Background Pathology and imaging tests are frequently requested in the outpatient setting despite historically poor completion rates. The impact of COVID‐19 telehealth on test completion rates is unknown. Aims To examine the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and telehealth transition on pathology and imaging test request and completion rates in Australian outpatient clinics. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study with historical controls between March–May 2019 and March–May 2020. Pathology and imaging request and completion rates were collected in review consultation patients attending Gastroenterology and Rheumatology outpatient clinics at a tertiary healthcare system prior and during the early phases of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Melbourne. Results 1376 patients were included in the study. Pathology tests were requested more frequently in the COVID‐19 group (n = 582/684, 85.2%) than control group (n = 492/692, 71.1%, p

PURPOSE To provide standards and practice recommendations specific to telehealth in oncology. METHODS A systematic review of the literature on telehealth in oncology was performed, including the use of technologies and telecommunications systems, and other electronic methods of care delivery and sharing of information with patients. The evidence base was combined with the opinion of the ASCO Telehealth Expert Panel to develop telehealth standards and guidance. Public comments were solicited and considered in preparation of the final manuscript. RESULTS The Expert Panel determined that general guidance on implementing telehealth across general and specialty settings has been published previously and these resources are endorsed. A systematic search for studies on topics specific to oncology resulted in the inclusion of two clinical practice guidelines, 12 systematic reviews, and six primary studies. STANDARDS AND GUIDANCE Standards and guidance are provided for which patients in oncology can be seen via telehealth, establishment of the doctor-physician relationship, role of allied health professionals, role of advanced practice providers, multidisciplinary cancer conferences, and teletrials in oncology. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/standards .

Patients with a new diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are prescribed stimulant medication need regular follow-up. Guidelines recommend follow-up within 30 days of stimulant initiation or change but this goal is seldom achieved. This quality improvement (QI) study in an urban academic outpatient practice aimed to: 1) assess whether use of school-based telemedicine increases rates of follow-up within 30 days and decreases the number of days to follow-up for ADHD, and 2) compare rates of 30-day follow-up via in-person vs telemedicine visits.We performed three Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles over a 12-month period: QI interventions included clinic wide education, paper prompts for clinicians, and creation of a database to track ADHD patients. We measured days from the index visit to the follow-up visit, and the mode of both visits (in-person or telemedicine). Data were collected for 6 months pre-intervention and 12 months post-intervention.Follow-up within 30 days increased from 19% (of 191 visits) to 33% (of 661 visits) (P.001). The time to follow-up decreased from 67 to 34 days (P.001). Follow up visits by telemedicine were more also more likely to be within 30 days (62% vs. 32%, P.001).A QI intervention for ADHD care increased rates of follow-up within 30 days, particularly when telemedicine was used, and decreased the number of days to follow-up. This intervention could serve as a model to improve follow-up for ADHD in other settings.

Objective During theCOVID-19 pandemic, many clinicians increased provision of telemedicine services. This study describes patient experiences with telemedicine for contraceptive counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Study design This is a mixed-methods study which includes a web-based or phone survey and in-depth phone interviews with patients who had telemedicine visits for contraception. Results A total of 169 patients had eligible telemedicine visits between April 1 and June 30, 2020. Of these, 86 (51%) responded to the survey, and 23 (14%) participated in the interviews. We found that 86% of survey respondents were very satisfied with the telemedicine visit, and 63% said it completely met their needs. A majority (73%) strongly agreed that these visits should be maintained after the COVID-19 pandemic, and half (51%) would be very likely to choose them over in-person visits. In-depth interviews highlighted the convenience of telemedicine, especially for those with work or parenting responsibilities. Although some patients had in-person visits after telehealth, many appreciated the counseling they received remotely, and found the subsequent in-person visits more efficient. Patients identified visits that do not require physical exams as ideal visits for telehealth, and some hoped that all or most of their future visits would be telehealth visits. Many patients (43%) expressed a preference for phone over video visits. Conclusions Patients reported an overall positive experience with telemedicine visits for contraceptive counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic. They appreciated the convenience of telemedicine visits and valued the virtual counseling experience. Implications Health care providers who initiated or expanded telemedicine services for contraceptive counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic should consider continuing to offer them after the pandemic. At the policy level, these findings favor expanding access to telemedicine and providing reimbursement for virtual visits, including telephone visits.

Rapid expansion of telemedicine is one of the transformative healthcare consequences of the COVID pandemic. As a result, telemedicine has allowed clinicians to address the needs of older adults with cancer, who faced the highest risks from COVID, while maintaining safety at home. In light of the COVID experience, which is an important source of learning, this article provides guidance on approaches to enhance telemedicine-enabled supportive care for the geriatric cancer patient.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted life for people throughout the world, especially for those in health care who experience unique stressors. To support the psychological needs of staff, faculty, and learners at a biomedical sciences university, faculty at Baylor College of Medicine created a mental health and wellness support program consisting of multiple behavioral health care pathways, including phone support, a self-guided mental health app, a coping skills group, and individual therapy services. The authors present this program as a model for academic institutions to support the well-being of faculty, staff, and learners.

BACKGROUND: Weight telemonitoring may be an effective way to improve patients' ability to manage heart failure and prevent unnecessary utilization of health services. However, the effectiveness of such interventions is dependent upon patient adherence. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine how adherence to weight telemonitoring changes in response to 2 types of events: hospital readmissions and emergency department visits. METHODS: The Better Effectiveness After Transition–Heart Failure trial examined the effectiveness of a remote telemonitoring intervention compared with usual care for patients discharged to home after hospitalization for decompensated heart failure. Participants were followed for 180 days and were instructed to transmit weight readings daily. We used Poisson regression to determine the within-person effects of events on subsequent adherence. RESULTS: A total of 625 events took place during the study period. Most of these events were rehospitalizations (78.7%). After controlling for the number of previous events and discharge to a skilled nursing facility, the rate for adherence decreased by nearly 20% in the 2 weeks after a hospitalization compared with the 2 weeks before (adjusted rate ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval: 0.77–0.86; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing a rehospitalization had the effect of diminishing adherence to daily weighing. Providers using telemonitoring to monitor decompensation and manage medications should take advantage of the potential “teachable moment” during hospitalization to reinforce the importance of adherence.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, telemedicine has gained increasing importance in the delivery of pharmaceutical care. The use of video technologies for remote communication between different parties offers the potential to meet the future challenges which arise from the increase in elderly and chronically ill patients. However, the influence of these technologies on patient-related outcomes in pharmaceutical care is not yet sufficiently known.; METHOD: In December 2018 a systematic literature search was conducted in the databases Medline, Cochrane Library and PubPharm. Randomized controlled trials were considered, which investigate real-time video conferencing between pharmacists on the one hand and patients or other healthcare providers on the other hand. The influence on patient related outcomes compared to standard care was assessed. The bias potential was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias instrument. A total of 4 randomized controlled trials could be included.; RESULTS: The studies describe partly complex intervention settings with adults and adolescents suffering from asthma, chronic renal failure, HIV infection, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and/or diabetes. None of the studies considers the interprofessional communication of pharmacists with other service providers. No influence on clinical or psychological endpoints was found. In some cases, an increase in adherence and correct medication use is evident. Healthcare utilization is not influenced. In all studies there is an increased risk of systematic bias.; DISCUSSION: Teleconsultations with pharmacists can rather be used to ensure the general provision of pharmaceutical care than to improve patient-related outcomes. Further studies are necessary to fully depict the influence of telemedical interventions in pharmaceutical care. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PURPOSE: The use of telemedicine expanded dramatically in March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to assess oncologist perspectives on telemedicine's present and future roles (both phone and video) for patients with cancer. METHODS: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Oncology Advisory Group formed a Workgroup to assess the state of oncology telemedicine and created a 20-question survey. NCCN EHR Oncology Advisory Group members e-mailed the survey to providers (surgical, hematology, gynecologic, medical, and radiation oncology physicians and clinicians) at their home institution. RESULTS: Providers (N = 1,038) from 26 institutions responded in Summer 2020. Telemedicine (phone and video) was compared with in-person visits across clinical scenarios (n = 766). For reviewing benign follow-up data, 88% reported video and 80% reported telephone were the same as or better than office visits. For establishing a personal connection with patients, 24% and 7% indicated video and telephone, respectively, were the same as or better than office visits. Ninety-three percent reported adverse outcomes attributable to telemedicine visits never or rarely occurred, whereas 6% indicated they occasionally occurred (n = 801). Respondents (n = 796) estimated 46% of postpandemic visits could be virtual, but challenges included (1) lack of patient access to technology, (2) inadequate clinical workflows to support telemedicine, and (3) insurance coverage uncertainty postpandemic. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine appears effective across a variety of clinical scenarios. Based on provider assessment, a substantial fraction of visits for patients with cancer could be effectively and safely conducted using telemedicine. These findings should influence regulatory and infrastructural decisions regarding telemedicine postpandemic for patients with cancer.

Background Community-based nurse-led interventions have the potential to impact admission rates in Heart Failure (HF) patients. No reviews have focused on identifying the best combination or duration of interventions to reduced hospital admissions. Objective To assess the impact of nurse-led community-based interventions on hospital admission rates in HF patients. Methods This study was conducted following Whittmore and Knafl's Methodology. CINAHL, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science and hand searching were used to identify articles. Selected studies were analyzed using the Matrix Method. Results Telemonitoring, home visits, phone calls, care coordination, and telemedicine were identified as interventions in 10 studies. Telemonitoring with phone calls or care coordination was not impactful. Studies with significant results included those with multiple interventions, APN-led, or conducted over one year. Conclusions The combination of intervention type and length are important factors when designing interventions for HF management. More research is needed on intervention length.

This article outlines a multidisciplinary approach to implementing a telehealth program in the acute care hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth has been utilized in many practice areas, though can be a particular challenge to establish in an acute care hospital given the fast pace environment. However, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique situation. In-person treatment interactions became increasingly high risk for both patient and provider, and there was an emerging need to conserve personal protective equipment and limit exposure. In response to these developments, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists treating an adult population turned to telehealth to supplement in-person treatment. This article outlines the clinical reasoning and practical application to implementing a telehealth program in an acute care hospital and includes regulations, identified successful strategies, barriers, considerations, decision-making algorithms, and discipline specific interventions., Graphical Abstract Image, graphical abstract

Background There are some qualitative studies on the views of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on telemedicine, however, there are few related qualitative systematic reviews. Objectives To systematically review and synthesize qualitative studies involving the perceptions of patients with COPD about telemedicine to understand patients' attitudes and expectations for telemedicine and determine the obstacles and stimulus in the use of telemedicine. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL for articles published from January 2000 to December 2020. The data were analysed using thematic synthesis. Results We included 20 articles involving 19 studies and 301 patients, and we identified four themes: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived difficulty of use, and perceived uselessness. We found that although patients have different views on telemedicine, most of them have a positive attitude towards it. Conclusions The synthesis of views will help us determine the factors that promote or hinder the application of telemedicine and guide the design and implementation of telemedicine in the future.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has forced telehealth to be the primary means through which patients interact with their providers. There is a concern that the pandemic will exacerbate the existing disparities in overall healthcare utilization and telehealth utilization. Few national studies have examined the changes in telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Data on 6.8 and 6.4 million employer-based health plan beneficiaries in 2020 and 2019, respectively, were collected in 2020. Unadjusted rates were compared both before and after the week of the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic as a national emergency. Trends in weekly utilization were also examined using a difference-in-differences regression framework to quantify the changes in telemedicine and office-based care utilization while controlling for the patient's demographic and county-level sociodemographic measures. All analyses were conducted in 2020. Results More than a 20-fold increase in the incidence of telemedicine utilization after March 13, 2020 was observed. Conversely, the incidence of office-based encounters declined by almost 50% and was not fully offset by the increase in telemedicine. The increase in telemedicine was greatest among patients in counties with low poverty levels (β=31.70, 95% CI=15.17, 48.23), among patients in metropolitan areas (β=40.60, 95% CI=30.86, 50.34), and among adults than among children aged 0–12 years (β=57.91, 95% CI=50.32, 65.49). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has affected telehealth utilization disproportionately on the basis of patient age and both the county-level poverty rate and urbanicity.