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Moecke DP, Holyk T, Beckett M, Chopra S, Petlitsyna P, Girt M, Kirkham A, Kamurasi I, Turner J, Sneddon D, Friesen M, McDonald I, Denson-Camp N, Crosbie S, Camp PG. Scoping review of telehealth use by Indigenous populations from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. J Telemed Telecare 2024; 30:1398-1416. [PMID: 36911983 PMCID: PMC11411853 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x231158835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telehealth has the potential to address health disparities experienced by Indigenous people, especially in remote areas. This scoping review aims to map and characterize the existing evidence on telehealth use by Indigenous people and explore the key concepts for effective use, cultural safety, and building therapeutic relationships. METHODS A search for published and gray literature, written in English, and published between 2000 and 2022 was completed in 17 electronic databases. Two reviewers independently screened retrieved records for eligibility. For included articles, data were extracted, categorized, and analyzed. Synthesis of findings was performed narratively. RESULTS A total of 321 studies were included. The most popular type of telehealth used was mHealth (44%), and the most common health focuses of the telehealth interventions were mental health (26%) and diabetes/diabetic retinopathy (13%). Frequently described barriers to effective telehealth use included concerns about privacy/confidentiality and limited internet availability; meanwhile, telehealth-usage facilitators included cultural relevance and community engagement. Although working in collaboration with Indigenous communities was the most frequently reported way to achieve cultural safety, 40% of the studies did not report Indigenous involvement. Finally, difficulty to establish trusting therapeutic relationships was a major concern raised about telehealth, and evidence suggests that having the first visit-in-person is a potential way to address this issue. CONCLUSION This comprehensive review identified critical factors to guide the development of culturally-informed telehealth services to meet the needs of Indigenous people and to achieve equitable access and positive health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Petry Moecke
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Travis Holyk
- Carrier Sekani Family Services, Prince George, Canada
| | - Madelaine Beckett
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sunaina Chopra
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Mirha Girt
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Ivan Kamurasi
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Justin Turner
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Donovan Sneddon
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Ian McDonald
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
| | | | | | - Pat G Camp
- University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Muehlensiepen F, Petit P, Knitza J, Welcker M, Vuillerme N. Identification of Motivational Determinants for Telemedicine Use Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Germany: Secondary Analysis of Data From a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey Study. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e47733. [PMID: 39159448 PMCID: PMC11369527 DOI: 10.2196/47733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated telemedicine to be an effective tool to complement rheumatology care and address workforce shortage. With the COVID-19 outbreak, telemedicine experienced a massive upswing. An earlier analysis revealed that the motivation of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases to use telemedicine is closely connected to their disease. It remains unclear which factors are associated with patients' motivation to use telemedicine in certain rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases groups, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify factors that determine the willingness to try telemedicine among patients diagnosed with RA. METHODS We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a German nationwide cross-sectional survey among patients with RA. Bayesian univariate logistic regression analysis was applied to the data to determine which factors were associated with willingness to try telemedicine. Predictor variables (covariates) studied individually included sociodemographic factors (eg, age, sex) and health characteristics (eg, health status). All the variables positively and negatively associated with willingness to try telemedicine in the univariate analyses were then considered for Bayesian model averaging analysis after a selection based on the variance inflation factor (≤ 2.5) to identify determinants of willingness to try telemedicine. RESULTS Among 438 surveyed patients in the initial study, 210 were diagnosed with RA (47.9%). Among them, 146 (69.5%) answered either yes or no regarding willingness to try telemedicine and were included in the analysis. A total of 22 variables (22/55, 40%) were associated with willingness to try telemedicine (region of practical equivalence %≤5). A total of 9 determinant factors were identified using Bayesian model averaging analysis. Positive determinants included desiring telemedicine services provided by a rheumatologist (odds ratio [OR] 13.7, 95% CI 5.55-38.3), having prior knowledge of telemedicine (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.46-6.28), residing in a town (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.21-7.79) or city (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.23-1.27), and perceiving one's health status as moderate (OR 1.87, 95% CI 0.94-3.63). Negative determinants included the lack of an electronic device (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.62), absence of home internet access (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.02-0.39), self-assessment of health status as bad (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.89) or very bad (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.06-2.06), and being aged between 60 and 69 years (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.22-1.04) or older than 70 years (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16-0.85). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that some patients with RA will not have access to telemedicine without further support. Older patients, those not living in towns, those without adequate internet access, reporting a bad health status, and those not owning electronic devices might be excluded from the digital transformation in rheumatology and might not have access to adequate RA care. These patient groups certainly require support for the use of digital rheumatology care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Muehlensiepen
- Center for Health Services Research, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, Germany
- AGEIS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Pascal Petit
- AGEIS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Johannes Knitza
- AGEIS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Institute for Digital Medicine, University Hospital Giessen-Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Welcker
- Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum für Rheumatologie Dr M Welcker GmbH, Planegg, Germany
| | - Nicolas Vuillerme
- AGEIS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- LabCom Telecom4Health, Orange Labs & Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Inria, Grenoble, France
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3
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Smith ID, Solomon MJ, Mulder H, Sims C, Coles TM, Overton R, Economou-Zavlanos N, Zhao R, Adagarla B, Doss J, Henao R, Clowse MEB, Bosworth H, Leverenz DL. Evaluating Factors Associated With Telehealth Appropriateness in Outpatient Rheumatoid Arthritis Encounters Using the Encounter Appropriateness Score for You (EASY). J Rheumatol 2024; 51:759-764. [PMID: 38749564 DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.2024-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/17/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Telehealth has been proposed as a safe and effective alternative to in-person care for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors associated with telehealth appropriateness in outpatient RA encounters. METHODS A prospective cohort study (January 1, 2021, to August 31, 2021) was conducted using electronic health record data from outpatient RA encounters in a single academic rheumatology practice. Rheumatology providers rated the telehealth appropriateness of their own encounters using the Encounter Appropriateness Score for You (EASY) immediately following each encounter. Robust Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations modeling was used to evaluate the association of telehealth appropriateness with patient demographics, RA clinical characteristics, comorbid noninflammatory causes of joint pain, previous and current encounter characteristics, and provider characteristics. RESULTS During the study period, 1823 outpatient encounters with 1177 unique patients with RA received an EASY score from 25 rheumatology providers. In the final multivariate model, factors associated with increased telehealth appropriateness included higher average provider preference for telehealth in prior encounters (relative risk [RR] 1.26, 95% CI 1.21-1.31), telehealth as the current encounter modality (RR 2.27, 95% CI 1.95-2.64), and increased patient age (RR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09). Factors associated with decreased telehealth appropriateness included moderate (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.96) and high (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.46-0.70) RA disease activity and if the previous encounters were conducted by telehealth (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73-0.95). CONCLUSION In this study, telehealth appropriateness was most associated with provider preference, the current and previous encounter modality, and RA disease activity. Other factors like patient demographics, RA medications, and comorbid noninflammatory causes of joint pain were not associated with telehealth appropriateness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac D Smith
- I.D. Smith, MD, MSc, C. Sims, MD, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, and Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center;
| | - Mary J Solomon
- M.J. Solomon, MS, AI Health, Duke University School of Medicine, and Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Hillary Mulder
- H. Mulder, MS, R. Overton, MS, R. Zhao, B. Adagarla, MS, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Catherine Sims
- I.D. Smith, MD, MSc, C. Sims, MD, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, and Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center
| | - Theresa M Coles
- T.M. Coles, PhD, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Robert Overton
- H. Mulder, MS, R. Overton, MS, R. Zhao, B. Adagarla, MS, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Nicoleta Economou-Zavlanos
- N. Economou-Zavlanos, PhD, AI Health, Duke University School of Medicine, and Office of Academic Solutions and Information Systems, Duke Health Technology Solutions, Duke Health
| | - Rong Zhao
- H. Mulder, MS, R. Overton, MS, R. Zhao, B. Adagarla, MS, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Bhargav Adagarla
- H. Mulder, MS, R. Overton, MS, R. Zhao, B. Adagarla, MS, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Jayanth Doss
- J. Doss, MD, MPH, M.E.B. Clowse, MD, MPH, D.L. Leverenz, MD, MEd, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Ricardo Henao
- R. Henao, PhD, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Megan E B Clowse
- J. Doss, MD, MPH, M.E.B. Clowse, MD, MPH, D.L. Leverenz, MD, MEd, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Hayden Bosworth
- H. Bosworth, PhD, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, and Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, and Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - David L Leverenz
- J. Doss, MD, MPH, M.E.B. Clowse, MD, MPH, D.L. Leverenz, MD, MEd, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine
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Guaracha-Basáñez GA, Contreras-Yáñez I, Estrada González VA, Pacheco-Santiago LD, Valverde-Hernández SS, Pascual-Ramos V. Impact of a hybrid medical care model in the rheumatoid arthritis patient-reported outcomes: A non-inferiority crossover randomized study. J Telemed Telecare 2024; 30:931-940. [PMID: 36046945 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x221122098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients and physicians can naturally adopt hybrid healthcare models that combine face-to-face consultations with telemedicine. The study's objective was to compare the impact of two healthcare interventions, hybrid care modality and face-to-face consultation, on the patient-reported outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis patients, during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Consecutive outpatients reincorporated to a clinic previously in lockdown were invited to a non-inferiority, randomized study (October 2020--May 2022). Patients were randomized to 6 months of face-to-face consultation or hybrid care modality (intervention period-1) and then the converse modality (intervention period-2). The primary outcome was disease activity/severity behavior (Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3). Additional patient-reported outcomes were disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index), quality-of-life (World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire-brief version), adherence and satisfaction with medical care, and treatment recommendation. Sample size calculation established 55 patients/healthcare interventions. RESULTS There were 138 patients invited to participate, 130 agreed and 121 completed their study participation. Sixty-one and 60 patients respectively, received face-to-face consultation and hybrid care modality over intervention period-1. Patients were primarily middle-aged females (90.1%), with (median, IQR) 12 (9-16) years of education, long-standing disease, working (62.8%), receiving disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (96.7%), and corticosteroids (61.2%). Patients had low disease activity (median Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3: 2.7) and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index score that translated into the absence of disability, while quality of life was compromised. Baseline characteristics were similar between patients assigned to each healthcare intervention. Differences in Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 behavior were below the non-inferiority margin. Results considered the order in which patients received the intervention and baselines scores, and extended to the patient-reported outcomes left. CONCLUSIONS Hybrid care modality was non-inferior to in-person consultations in achieving patient-reported outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo A Guaracha-Basáñez
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ, Mexico City, Mexico
- Emergency Medicine Department, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Irazú Contreras-Yáñez
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vivian A Estrada González
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lexli D Pacheco-Santiago
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Salvador S Valverde-Hernández
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Virginia Pascual-Ramos
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ, Mexico City, Mexico
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5
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Graña Gil J, Moreno Martínez MJ, Carrasco Cubero MDC. Delphi consensus on the use of telemedicine in rheumatology: RESULTAR study. REUMATOLOGIA CLINICA 2024; 20:254-262. [PMID: 38821741 DOI: 10.1016/j.reumae.2024.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is growing interest in the potential of telemedicine (TM) as an alternative to physical consultation. Although numerous studies prove the benefits of TM in rheumatology, there are no recommendations on its implementation in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyze the application of TM in rheumatology consultations in Spain. MATERIALS AND METHODS Qualitative, cross-sectional, multicenter study with Delphi methodology in two rounds of queries. A structured ad hoc questionnaire was designed that included statements on teleconsultation, nursing teleconsultation, telecare, telerehabilitation, teleradiology, telehealth tele-education, main barriers, advantages and disadvantages of telehealth tele-education and TM in rheumatoid arthritis. The participants were rheumatology specialists practicing in Spain. RESULTS The participating rheumatologists (N = 80) had a mean age of 42.4 (±9.0) years, with 12.6 (±8.4) years of experience. Some of the aspects of TM that obtained the greatest consensus were: TM is useful for follow-up of some patients, to help determine if a face-to-face consultation is necessary, or to assist patients with rheumatoid arthritis if they present low activity or in remission; certain patients, such as those in their first consultation or those who present digital barriers or cognitive deterioration, should be seen face-to-face; TM presents some technical and patient access barriers; TM can be useful in nursing and in continued medical education. CONCLUSIONS TM can be beneficial for the treatment and follow-up of patients with rheumatic diseases, as well as for alleviating the face-to-face care burden in rheumatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenaro Graña Gil
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
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6
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Safikhani M, Rezaieyazdi Z, Khodashahi M. Evaluation of assessable telemedicine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review. Int J Rheum Dis 2024; 27:e15007. [PMID: 38287561 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.15007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Nowadays, the use of telemedicine diagnosis and treatment of various diseases has been considered by physicians, especially in such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), where patients have more weakness and inability to move. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the extent of measurable and nonmeasurable factors in patients with RA and their satisfaction with this method of care. METHODS The articles published by March 3, 2022, were searched in four databases, including Web of Sciences, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus. This research was conducted using the seven steps of the Cochrane Handbook as a guide. The searched keywords included telemedicine, tele-rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, and immune diseases. RESULTS A total of 18 articles were included in the present study. In most of these studies, physicians and patients were satisfied with this approach. Nonetheless, there was a dearth of studies on the measurement of evaluable and nonevaluable factors. CONCLUSION Studies on the benefits of telemedicine for rheumatology are still limited. The effectiveness of this new healthcare approach in diagnosing and evaluating disease activity is still unclear. Some studies demonstrated patient and physician satisfaction with this treatment. In some cases, there is a tendency to show a high risk of bias. In addition, it is unclear to what extent the use of rheumatology traps affects the establishment of medical relationships. It is recommended that more clinical trials be conducted to examine this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Safikhani
- Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Zahra Rezaieyazdi
- Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mandana Khodashahi
- Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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7
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Goglin S, Kolfenbach J. The Impact of COVID-19 on Education and Training in Rheumatology: A Narrative Review. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2024; 76:32-39. [PMID: 37849427 DOI: 10.1002/acr.25258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
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Almansouri AY, Alsofyani R, Alharbi HA, Almaqati AS, Aloqbi HS, Bakhsh L, Althubaiti A, Alzahrani Z. Comparison of Remotely Applied and Face-to-Face Disease Activity Scores in Saudi Arabian Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Cohort Study. Cureus 2024; 16:e52390. [PMID: 38361704 PMCID: PMC10868911 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess the disease activity indices (DAI) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by telephone-based tele-visits compared to face-to-face clinic encounters. METHODS Patients with RA attending outpatient clinics between December 2021 and May 2022 were prospectively recruited. Disease activity assessments were initially performed in the clinic using the disease activity score 28-C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) and disease activity score 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). Within two weeks of the clinic visit, a telephone-based assessment gathered information on demographics, Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) score, and satisfaction. Disease activity scores were dichotomized into remission or low disease activity and moderate to high disease activity. RESULTS A total of 78 patients completed the two-point interview. Of those, 62 (79.49%) were women, with a mean age of 54.73±13.71 years. Seropositivity for rheumatoid factor and/or anti-citrullinated peptide was observed in 51 (83.61%) participants. Twenty-seven percent of the patients were classified as in remission or low disease activity by RAPID3. This was 71% for DAS28-CRP and 33% for DAS28-ESR. Based on the dichotomized disease activity classification, the agreement percentage between RAPID3 and DAS28-ESR was 78.08%, while it was 47.22% between RAPID3 and DAS28-CRP, which resulted in kappa statistic values of 0.48 (moderate agreement) and 0.14 (low agreement), respectively. Satisfaction rates were low. CONCLUSION Telephone-based RAPID3 showed a low-moderate agreeability compared to DAS28 and had low satisfaction rates. This suggests that tele-rheumatology care by this means was not feasible for following up with patients with RA and warrants further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulrahman Y Almansouri
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Madinah, SAU
| | - Rahaf Alsofyani
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
- Internal Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, SAU
| | - Hanin A Alharbi
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
| | - Ahmed S Almaqati
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
- Internal Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, SAU
| | - Hind S Aloqbi
- Department of Medicine/Rheumatology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
- Department of Medicine, King Fahad Hospital, Tabuk, SAU
| | - Lama Bakhsh
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
| | - Alaa Althubaiti
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health and Sciences, Jeddah, SAU
| | - Zeyad Alzahrani
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, SAU
- Internal Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, SAU
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van der Ven J, van den Bemt BJF, Wielsma S, Flendrie M, Verhoef LM. The Use of Remote Consultations and Associated Factors in Rheumatology: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study of Follow-Up Consultations Before, During, and After COVID-19. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2024; 76:72-80. [PMID: 37652748 DOI: 10.1002/acr.25224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the use of remote consultations (RCs) and the influence of consultation, health care provider (HCP), and patient characteristics on the choice for remote or face-to-face consultation. METHODS A monocenter retrospective cohort study was conducted on follow-up consultations of patients with rheumatic diseases from January 1, 2019 to January 16, 2023, using data from electronic health records. Trends in the proportion of RCs before, during, and after COVID-19 were studied. Cross-classified multilevel logistic regression models were built to account for clustering of consultations (level 1) within both patients and HCPs (level 2). The influence of consultation, patient, and HCP characteristics on the type of consultation was assessed. RESULTS 157,028 consultations of 30,215 unique patients seen by 64 HCPs were included in the data set. After an initial sharp increase in RC use at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of RCs decreased toward a seemingly steady state at around 30%. 90% of the variance in the use of RCs can be attributed to the consultation level, whereas 4% and 6% can be attributed to the patient and HCP level. Longer consultation durations and time since last consultation decreased the odds for a RC, as did higher patient age, shared care, and longer disease duration. Higher travel distance, consultation density, and patient digital access increased the odds for a RC. CONCLUSION The COVID pandemic resulted in a structural increase in the use of RCs. Although several patient characteristics are associated with the type of consultation, most variance resulted from consultation characteristics compared with patients and HCPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey van der Ven
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J F van den Bemt
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sabien Wielsma
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Rheumatology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Flendrie
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Rheumatology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lise M Verhoef
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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10
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Avouac J, Marotte H, Balsa A, Chebbah M, Clanche SL, Verhagen LAW, Filková M, Mueller RB, Mongey AB, Taylor PC. Teleconsultation in rheumatology: A literature review and opinion paper. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2023; 63:152271. [PMID: 37813005 DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2023.152271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we review published literature on "telerheumatology", a term describing the use of telemedicine in rheumatology. This field has received considerable recent attention through the development of efficient digital technologies, resulting in a good level of satisfaction among patients and health care professionals. In 2020, the social distancing constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated more widespread adoption worldwide. Telerheumatology is particularly suited for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have achieved a sustained therapeutic target of remission or low disease activity. To facilitate remote consultations and meet expectations of rheumatologists and patients, international and national guidelines have recently been proposed and existing tools, such as Patient-Reported Outcomes questionnaires, have had to be digitally adapted. In addition, telerheumatology toolkits are proposed by the Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR), the Association of American Medical College (AAMC), and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for all learners, from medical students to practicing clinicians, encouraging the acquisition of telehealth skills and facilitating their integration into their routine clinical practice. The main benefits reported for this mode of health care are greater access to specialty care, flexibility, reduced rates of missed appointments, as well as improved patient engagement and autonomy. Limitations include the absence of physical examination. However, to implement telerheumatology effectively and widely in daily clinical practice, some barriers still need to be addressed. These include training of health care professionals, technological restrictions and reimbursement mechanisms. Despite the advantages of telerheumatology, it is not intended to replace face-to-face visits, but rather as a way to enhance access to care, service delivery and health care support for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Avouac
- Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP Centre - Université Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Hubert Marotte
- SAINBIOSE, INSERM U1059, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, France; Service de Rhumatologie, CHU Saint-Etienne,42055 Saint-Etienne, France; CIC 1408, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Alejandro Balsa
- Rheumatology Unit, University Hospital La Paz, Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid,28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Myriam Chebbah
- Public Health Expertise, Département Affaires Médicales, 10 boulevard de Sébastopol, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Solenn Le Clanche
- Public Health Expertise, Département Affaires Médicales, 10 boulevard de Sébastopol, 75004 Paris, France
| | | | - Mária Filková
- Institute of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Peter C Taylor
- Norman Collison Professor of Musculoskeletal Sciences at the Botnar Research Centre, NDORMS, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK.
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11
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Bolster MB, Kolfenbach J, Poeschla A, Criscione-Schreiber L, Hant F, Ishizawar R, Jonas B, Leverenz D, O'Rourke KS, Wolfe RM, Zickuhr L. Incorporating Telemedicine in Rheumatology Fellowship Training Programs: Needs Assessment, Curricular Intervention, and Evaluation. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2023; 75:2428-2434. [PMID: 37232060 DOI: 10.1002/acr.25165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To increase the confidence of rheumatology fellows in training (FITs) in delivering virtual care (VC) and prepare them for independent practice, we developed educational materials addressing gaps in their skills. METHODS We identified gaps in telemedicine skills based on FIT performance in a virtual rheumatology objective structured clinical examination (vROSCE) station on VC delivery using video teleconference technology and survey (survey 1) responses. We created educational materials including videos of "mediocre" and "excellent" VC examples, discussion/reflection questions, and a document summarizing key practices. We measured change in the confidence levels of FITs for delivering VC with a post-intervention survey (survey 2). RESULTS Thirty-seven FITs (19 first-year, 18 second- plus third-year fellows) from 7 rheumatology fellowship training programs participated in a vROSCE and demonstrated gaps in skills mapping to several Rheumatology Telehealth Competency domains. Confidence levels of FITs improved significantly from survey 1 to survey 2 for 22 of 34 (65%) questions. All participating FITs found the educational materials helpful for learning and reflecting on their own VC practice; 18 FITs (64%) qualified usefulness as "moderately" or "a lot." Through surveying, 17 FITs (61%) reported implementing skills from the instructional videos into VC visits. CONCLUSION Continually assessing our learners' needs and creating educational materials addressing gaps in training are requisite. Using a vROSCE station, needs assessments, and targeted learning with videos and discussion-guidance materials enhanced the confidence level of FITs in VC delivery. It is imperative to incorporate VC delivery into fellowship training program curricula to ensure breadth in skills, attitudes, and knowledge of new entrants into the rheumatology workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Faye Hant
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | | | - Beth Jonas
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | | | | | - Rachel M Wolfe
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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12
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Listorti E, Ferrara L, Adinolfi A, Gerardi MC, Ughi N, Tozzi VD, Epis OM. Joining telehealth in rheumatology: a survey on the role played by personalized experience from patients' perspective. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:682. [PMID: 37349713 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09575-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many hospital departments worldwide to implement telehealth strategies for the first time. Telehealth represents the opportunity to increase value for all stakeholders, including patients and healthcare staff, but its success constitutes a challenge for all of them and particularly patients play a crucial role for their needed adherence. This study focuses on the experience of the Rheumatology Unit of Niguarda Hospital in Milan (Italy), where telehealth projects have been implemented for more than a decade with structured design and organized processes. The case study is paradigmatic because patients have experimented personalized mixes of telehealth channels, including e-mails and phone calls, Patient Reported Outcomes questionnaires, and home delivery of drugs. Given all these peculiarities, we decided to deepen patients' perspective through three main aspects related to the adoption of telehealth: (i) the benefits perceived, (ii) the willingness to enrol in future projects, (iii) the preference on the service-mix between remote contacts and in-person visits. Most importantly, we investigated differences in the three areas among all patients based on the mix of telehealth channels experienced. METHODS We conducted a survey from November 2021 to January 2022, enrolling consecutively patients attending the Rheumatology Unit of Niguarda Hospital in Milan (Italy). Our survey comprised an introductory set of questions related to personal, social, clinical and ICT skills information, followed by the central part on telehealth. All the answers were analysed with descriptive statistics and regression models. RESULTS A complete response was given by 400 patients: 283 (71%) were female, 237 (59%) were 40-64 years old, 213 (53%) of them declared to work, and the disease most represented was Rheumatoid Arthritis (144 patients, 36%). Descriptive statistics and regression results revealed that (i) non-users imagined wide-ranging benefits compared to users; (ii) other things being equal, having had a more intense experience of telehealth increased the odds of accepting to participate to future projects by 3.1 times (95% C.I. 1.04-9.25), compared to non-users; (iii) the more telehealth was experienced, the higher the willingness to substitute in-person with online contacts. CONCLUSIONS Our study contributes to enlighten the crucial role played by the telehealth experience in determining patients' preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucia Ferrara
- CERGAS SDA Bocconi, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Adinolfi
- Rheumatology Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Ughi
- Rheumatology Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Oscar M Epis
- Rheumatology Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
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13
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Bolster MB, Lockwood MM, Wallwork RS, Seo P, Lima K, Dua AB. Reply. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2023; 75:1386-1387. [PMID: 36321464 DOI: 10.1002/acr.25049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcy B Bolster
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Megan M Lockwood
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | | | - Philip Seo
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Anisha B Dua
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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14
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Pogorzelska K, Marcinowicz L, Chlabicz S. A Qualitative Study of Primary Care Physicians' Experiences with Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic in North-Eastern Poland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1963. [PMID: 36767329 PMCID: PMC9915015 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care clinics quickly moved to provide medical consultations via telemedicine, however, information about primary care professionals' perspectives is limited. (2) Methods: Thirty semi-structured interviews with primary care professionals working in north-eastern Poland were conducted to assess their perspectives regarding the benefits and challenges of telemedicine. (3) Results: Primary care professionals highlighted that telemedicine increases access to medical services and reduces travel inconvenience. Remote consultation is not as time-consuming as in-person visits, which enables the provision of medical services to a greater number of patients which is particularly important in primary care. The inability to see patients and loss of non-verbal communication represent a significant difficulty in providing remote care. Primary care professionals indicated patients are not always able to express themselves sufficiently in a telephone call, which leads to performing medical consultations inefficiently. Physicians also pointed out that in particular medical cases, physical contact is still necessary to reach an accurate diagnosis and give the necessary treatment. Statements of the study participants also show that primary care professionals are satisfied with providing medical advice with telemedicine and show their interest in continuing remote consultation in the post-COVID era. (4) Conclusions: Primary care professionals have moved towards incorporating telemedicine into their daily routines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the many difficulties encountered, healthcare professionals have also noticed the benefits of telemedicine, especially during challenging circumstances. The study shows telemedicine to be a valuable tool in caring for patients, although it should be emphasized that face-to-face consultations cannot be fully replaced by remote consultations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Pogorzelska
- Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, 15054 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Ludmila Marcinowicz
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Maternity Care, Medical University of Bialystok, 15295 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Slawomir Chlabicz
- Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, 15054 Bialystok, Poland
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15
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Technological access barriers, telehealth use and health care visits in the early pandemic period. HEALTH POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2022.100693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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16
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Guaracha-Basáñez GA, Contreras-Yáñez I, Estrada-González VA, Estrada-González VA, Valverde-Hernández SS, Hernández-Molina G, Pascual-Ramos V. Comparison of Teleconsultations and In-Person Consultations from Outpatients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Internal Audit of Medical Notes. Telemed J E Health 2022; 28:1835-1842. [PMID: 35506921 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The objectives of this study were to compare the quality-of-care and compliance with medical record regulations between in-person consultations (QIP and CIP) and telephone consultations (QTP and CTP), from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outpatients, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore the impact of the consultation modality on the treatment. Methods: Data from 324 medical notes corresponding to rheumatic consultations between July and December 2020 were abstracted. Notes were selected considering a stratified (in-person and telephone consultations) random sampling strategy. QIP, CIP, QTP, and CTP were scored based on prespecified criteria as percentages, where higher numbers translated into better standards. Logistic regression analysis investigated the association between the consultation modality and the treatment recommendation (dependent variable). Results: There were 208 (64.2%) medical notes related to in-person consultations and 114 (35.2%) to telephone consultations. Overall, medical notes corresponded to middle-aged women with long-standing disease. QIP was superior to QTP (median, interquartile range): 60% (60-75%) versus 50% (25-60%), p ≤ 0.001, and differences were related to disease activity and prognosis documentation (81.3% vs. 34.5% and 55.8% vs. 33.6%, respectively, p ≤ 0.001) and the prolonged prescription of glucocorticoids with a documented management plan (58.5% vs. 30.4%, p = 0.045). Meanwhile, CIP and CTP were similar. Telephone consultation was a significant risk factor for no changes in the treatment recommendation (odds ratio: 2.113, 95% confidence interval: 1.284-3.479, p = 0.003), and results were consistent in the 142 medical notes with documented absence of disease activity. Conclusions: In the clinical context of RA, the quality-of-care provided by telephone consultations is below the standard of care and impacts the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo A Guaracha-Basáñez
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Irazú Contreras-Yáñez
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vivian A Estrada-González
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vivian A Estrada-González
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Salvador S Valverde-Hernández
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Hernández-Molina
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Virginia Pascual-Ramos
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador-Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
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Jackson LE, Edgil TA, Hill B, Owensby JK, Smith CH, Singh JA, Danila MI. Telemedicine in Rheumatology Care: A Systematic Review. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2022; 56:152045. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2022.152045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Tang W, Inzerillo S, Weiner J, Khalili L, Barasch J, Gartshteyn Y, Dall'Era M, Aranow C, Mackay M, Askanase A. The Impact of Telemedicine on Rheumatology Care. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:876835. [PMID: 35669922 PMCID: PMC9163385 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.876835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pandemic disrupted the care of patients with rheumatic diseases; difficulties in access to care and its psychological impact affected quality of life. Telemedicine as an alternative to traditional face-to-face office visits has the potential to mitigate this impact. Objective To evaluate patient and provider experience with telemedicine and its effect on care. Methods We surveyed patients with rheumatic diseases and their rheumatology providers. The surveys were conducted in 2020 and repeated in 2021. We assessed data on quality of care and health-related quality of life. Results Hundred patients and 17 providers responded to the survey. Patients reported higher satisfaction with telemedicine in 2021 compared to 2020 (94 vs. 84%), felt more comfortable with (96 vs. 86%), expressed a stronger preference for (22 vs. 16%), and higher intention to use telemedicine in the future (83 vs. 77%); patients thought physicians were able to address their concerns. While providers' satisfaction with telemedicine increased (18-76%), 14/17 providers believed that telemedicine visits were worse than in-person visits. There were no differences in annualized office visits and admissions. Mean EQ-5D score was 0.74, lower than general population (0.87) but equivalent to a subset of patients with SLE (0.74). Conclusion Our data showed a high level of satisfaction with telemedicine. The lower rheumatology provider satisfaction raises concern if telemedicine constitutes an acceptable alternative to in-person care. The stable number of office visits, admissions, and the similar quality of life to pre-pandemic level suggest effective management of rheumatic diseases using telemedicine/in-person hybrid care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Tang
- Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sean Inzerillo
- Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julia Weiner
- Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Leila Khalili
- Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julia Barasch
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yevgeniya Gartshteyn
- Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Maria Dall'Era
- Lupus Clinic and Rheumatology Clinical Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Cynthia Aranow
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
| | - Meggan Mackay
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
| | - Anca Askanase
- Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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Thomason J, Bays A, Mantilla B, Huang I, Najjar R, Singh N, Wysham K, Hughes G. Non-English Language Preference Associated With Decreased Rheumatology Telehealth Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic. ACR Open Rheumatol 2022; 4:385-394. [PMID: 35084116 PMCID: PMC9096515 DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study objective was to assess sociodemographic disparities in telehealth use among patients in an urban adult rheumatology clinic during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, patient-level sociodemographic data associated with all rheumatology visits in the following two periods were reviewed: pre-COVID-19 (March 1, 2019 to February 28, 2020) and COVID-19 (April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021). Data were extracted from the electronic health record. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine sociodemographic factors associated with video visits during the COVID-19 period. RESULTS In the pre-COVID-19 period, 1503 patients completed 3837 visits (100% in person). In the COVID-19 period, 1442 patients completed 3406 visits: 41% in person, 30% video, and 29% telephone only. Several factors were associated with decreased video use: preference for Spanish language (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.47) or other non-English languages (aOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.21-0.55), Black or African American race/ethnicity (aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.35-0.73), Medicaid payer, and increasing age. CONCLUSION Decreased video visit use among rheumatology patients was associated with non-English language preference, minority race/ethnicity, increasing age, and indicators of low income. Rapid deployment and expansion of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic likely has improved access for some but widened preexisting disparities for others. As medical care evolves toward ongoing digital care delivery, clarifying and addressing causes of telehealth disparities is essential for delivering equitable health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Thomason
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Alison Bays
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Bryanna Mantilla
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Irvin Huang
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Rayan Najjar
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Namrata Singh
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Katherine Wysham
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
- Rheumatology Section, VA Puget Sound Healthcare SystemSeattleWashington
| | - Grant Hughes
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
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Marques A, Bosch P, de Thurah A, Meissner Y, Falzon L, Mukhtyar C, Bijlsma JW, Dejaco C, Stamm TA. Effectiveness of remote care interventions: a systematic review informing the 2022 EULAR Points to Consider for remote care in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. RMD Open 2022; 8:e002290. [PMID: 35523520 PMCID: PMC9083395 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic literature review (SLR) on different outcomes of remote care compared with face-to-face (F2F) care, its implementation into clinical practice and to identify drivers and barriers in order to inform a task force formulating the EULAR Points to Consider for remote care in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). METHODS A search strategy was developed and run in Medline (PubMed), Embase and Cochrane Library. Two reviewers independently performed standardised data extraction, synthesis and risk of bias (RoB) assessment. RESULTS A total of 2240 references were identified. Forty-seven of them fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Remote monitoring (n=35) was most frequently studied, with telephone/video calls being the most common mode of delivery (n=30). Of the 34 studies investigating outcomes of remote care, the majority addressed efficacy and user perception; 34% and 21% of them, respectively, reported a superiority of remote care as compared with F2F care. Time and cost savings were reported as major benefits, technical aspects as major drawback in the 13 studies that investigated drivers and barriers of remote care. No study addressed remote care implementation. The main limitation of the studies identified was the heterogeneity of outcomes and methods, as well as a substantial RoB (50% of studies with high RoB). CONCLUSIONS Remote care leads to similar or better results compared with F2F treatment concerning efficacy, safety, adherence and user perception outcomes, with the limitation of heterogeneity and considerable RoB of the available studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréa Marques
- Higher School of Nursing of Coimbra Health Sciences Research Unit Nursing, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Rheumatology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Philipp Bosch
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Annette de Thurah
- Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Århus N, Denmark
- Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Yvette Meissner
- Epidemiology and Health Services Research, German Rheumatism Research Centre, Berlin, Germany
| | - Louise Falzon
- Health Economics and Decision Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Chetan Mukhtyar
- Vasculitis Service, Rheumatology Department, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
| | - Johannes Wj Bijlsma
- Rheumatology, University Medical Center Utrecht Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Dejaco
- Rheumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Rheumatology, Hospital of Bruneck, Bruneck, Italy
| | - Tanja A Stamm
- Section for Outcomes Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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21
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de Thurah A, Bosch P, Marques A, Meissner Y, Mukhtyar CB, Knitza J, Najm A, Østerås N, Pelle T, Knudsen LR, Šmucrová H, Berenbaum F, Jani M, Geenen R, Krusche M, Pchelnikova P, de Souza S, Badreh S, Wiek D, Piantoni S, Gwinnutt JM, Duftner C, Canhão HM, Quartuccio L, Stoilov N, Prior Y, Bijlsma JW, Zabotti A, Stamm TA, Dejaco C. 2022 EULAR points to consider for remote care in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Ann Rheum Dis 2022; 81:1065-1071. [PMID: 35470160 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2022-222341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Remote care and telehealth have the potential to expand healthcare access, and the COVID-19 pandemic has called for alternative solutions to conventional face-to-face follow-up and monitoring. However, guidance is needed on the integration of telehealth into clinical care of people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD). OBJECTIVE To develop EULAR points to consider (PtC) for the development, prioritisation and implementation of telehealth for people with RMD. METHODS A multidisciplinary EULAR task force (TF) of 30 members from 14 European countries was established, and the EULAR standardised operating procedures for development of PtC were followed. A systematic literature review was conducted to support the TF in formulating the PtC. The level of agreement among the TF was established by anonymous online voting. RESULTS Four overarching principles and nine PtC were formulated. The use of telehealth should be tailored to patient's needs and preferences. The healthcare team should have adequate equipment and training and have telecommunication skills. Telehealth can be used in screening for RMD as preassessment in the referral process, for disease monitoring and regulation of medication dosages and in some non-pharmacological interventions. People with RMD should be offered training in using telehealth, and barriers should be resolved whenever possible.The level of agreement to each statement ranged from 8.5 to 9.8/10. CONCLUSION The PtC have identified areas where telehealth could improve quality of care and increase healthcare access. Knowing about drivers and barriers of telehealth is a prerequisite to successfully establish remote care approaches in rheumatologic clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette de Thurah
- Department of Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark .,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Philipp Bosch
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medizinische Universitat Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andrea Marques
- Health Sciences Research Unit Nursing, Higher School of Nursing of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Rheumatology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra EPE, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Yvette Meissner
- Epidemiology and Health Services Research, German Rheumatism Research Center Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chetan B Mukhtyar
- Vasculitis Service, Rheumatology Department, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich, UK
| | - Johannes Knitza
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aurélie Najm
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nina Østerås
- National Advisory Unit on Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet University College and Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tim Pelle
- Department of Rheumatic Diseases, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Line Raunsbæk Knudsen
- Department of Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hana Šmucrová
- Institute of Rheumatology, Centre of Medical Rehabilitation, Praha, Czech Republic
| | | | - Meghna Jani
- Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Rinie Geenen
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Krusche
- Division of Rheumatology and Systemic Inflammatory Diseases, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Savia de Souza
- Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, King's College London, London, UK.,Patient Research Partner, EULAR, London, UK
| | - Sara Badreh
- Patient Research Partner, EULAR, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dieter Wiek
- Patient Research Partner, EULAR, Bonn, Germany
| | - Silvia Piantoni
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - James M Gwinnutt
- Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Christina Duftner
- Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Division of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck/Tirol Kliniken GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Helena M Canhão
- Comprehensive Research Center, CHRC, EpicDoC Unit, CEDOC-NOVA Medical School-NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luca Quartuccio
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Nikolay Stoilov
- Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital St. Ivan Rilski, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Yeliz Prior
- Centre for Health Sciences Research, School of Health and Society, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Johannes Wj Bijlsma
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alen Zabotti
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Tanja A Stamm
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Arthritis and Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria.,Section for Outcomes Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Dejaco
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medizinische Universitat Graz, Graz, Austria.,Department of Rheumatology, Hospital of Bruneck (ASAA-SABES), Bruneck, Italy
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22
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de Thurah A, Marques A, de Souza S, Crowson CS, Myasoedova E. Future challenges in rheumatology - is telemedicine the solution? Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis 2022; 14:1759720X221081638. [PMID: 35321119 PMCID: PMC8935581 DOI: 10.1177/1759720x221081638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has become an unprecedented facilitator of rapid telehealth expansion within rheumatology. Due to demographic shifts and workforce shortages in the future, new models of rheumatology care will be expected to emerge, with a growing footprint of telehealth interventions. Telehealth is already being used to monitor patients with rheumatic diseases and initial studies show good results in terms of safety and disease progression. It is being used as a tool for appointment prioritization and triage, and there is good evidence for using telehealth in rehabilitation, patient education and self-management interventions. Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) offer a number of long-term benefits and opportunities, and a routine collection of ePROs also facilitates epidemiological research that can inform future healthcare delivery. Telehealth solutions should be developed in close collaboration with all stakeholders, and the option of a telehealth visit must not deprive patients of the possibility to make use of a conventional 'face-to-face' visit. Future studies should especially focus on optimal models for rheumatology healthcare delivery to patients living in remote areas who are unable to use or access computer technology, and other patient groups at risk for disparity due to technical inequity and lack of knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette de Thurah
- Department of Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, Aarhus N 8240, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Andrea Marques
- Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Higher School of Nursing of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Rheumatology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra EPE, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Savia de Souza
- Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Cynthia S. Crowson
- Department of Qualitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Elena Myasoedova
- Department of Qualitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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23
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Ferucci ED, Day GM, Choromanski TL, Freeman SL. Outcomes and Quality of Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis With or Without Video Telemedicine Follow-Up Visits. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2022; 74:484-492. [PMID: 33053261 PMCID: PMC10695327 DOI: 10.1002/acr.24485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Telemedicine has been proposed to improve access to care in rheumatology, but few studies of telerheumatology have been published. The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes and quality of care for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients seen by video telemedicine follow-up compared to in-person only. METHODS Individuals in the Alaska Tribal Health System with a diagnosis of RA were recruited when seeing a rheumatologist either in-person or by video telemedicine, both of which were offered as part of usual follow-up care. At baseline, participants completed the Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) questionnaire and a telemedicine perception survey and agreed to medical record review. Participants repeated surveys by telephone at 6 and 12 months, and medical record abstraction was performed at 12 months for quality measures. RESULTS At the 12-month outcome assessment, 63 of 122 RA patients (52%) had ever used telemedicine for RA. In univariate analysis, functional status improved over 12 months in the telemedicine group. In multivariate analysis, RAPID3 score and functional status were associated with telemedicine group (higher), with no statistically significant change over the 12-month period. The only quality measure that differed between groups at 12 months in univariate analysis was the proportion of visits in which disease activity was documented (higher in the in-person group, 40% versus 25%; P = 0.02), but this was not significant after multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION In short-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in most outcome and quality measures in patients with RA who incorporated telemedicine follow-up in their care compared to in-person only.
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24
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Ahmed S, Grainger R, Santosa A, Adnan A, Alnaqbi KA, Chen YH, Kavadichanda C, Kaw NSK, Kelly A, Khan SEA, Masri B, Nakarmi S, Parlindungan F, Rahman N, So H, Soroush MG, Thilakarathne AS, Traboco L. APLAR recommendations on the practice of telemedicine in rheumatology. Int J Rheum Dis 2022; 25:247-258. [PMID: 35043576 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.14286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid and widespread adoption of telemedicine in rheumatology care. The Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR) working group was tasked with developing evidence-based recommendations for rheumatology practice to guide maintenance of the highest possible standards of clinical care and to enable broad patient reach. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic review of English-language articles related to telehealth in rheumatology was conducted on MEDLINE/PubMed, Web Of Science and Scopus. The strength of the evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach as well as the Oxford Levels of Evidence. The recommendations were developed using a modified Delphi technique to establish consensus. RESULTS Three overarching principles and 13 recommendations were developed based on identified literature and consensus agreement. The overarching principles address telemedicine frameworks, decision-making, and modality. Recommendations 1-4 address patient suitability, triage, and when telemedicine should be offered to patients. Recommendations 5-10 cover the procedure, including the means, data safety, fail-safe mechanisms, and treat-to-target approach. Recommendations 11-13 focus on training and education related to telerheumatology. CONCLUSION These recommendations provide guidance for the approach and use of telemedicine in rheumatology care to guide highest possible standards of clinical care and to enable equitable patient reach. However, since evidence in telemedicine care in rheumatology is limited and emerging, most recommendations will need further consideration when more data are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakir Ahmed
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Rebecca Grainger
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anindita Santosa
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Medicine Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Asal Adnan
- Department of Rheumatology, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Khalid A Alnaqbi
- Rheumatology Department, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, UAE.,College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Yi-Hsing Chen
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chengappa Kavadichanda
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | | | - Amy Kelly
- Department of Rheumatology, Campbelltown Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Basel Masri
- Rheumatology Division, Internal Medicine Department, Jordan Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Shweta Nakarmi
- Department of Rheumatology, National Center for Rheumatic Diseases, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Faisal Parlindungan
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nazibur Rahman
- Department of Rheumatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Ho So
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | - Amal Sithira Thilakarathne
- Consultant in Rheumatology & Medical Rehabilitation, Teaching Hospital Kurunegala, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka
| | - Lisa Traboco
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, St Luke's Medical Center, Global City, Philippines
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25
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Madenidou AV, Yeoh S. Telerheumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic: Impact on clinical practice, education, and research. INDIAN JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/injr.injr_229_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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26
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Lineburger IB, Brenol CV, Goularte AS, Pinheiro EP, Hirakata VN. Cross-cultural and clinical validation of the MDHAQ/RAPID3 questionnaire in electronic format for a Brazilian population of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Adv Rheumatol 2022; 62:46. [PMID: 36419141 PMCID: PMC9685132 DOI: 10.1186/s42358-022-00278-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with rheumatologic diseases are monitored fundamentally through metric tools or index calculated from clinical data and patient exams, which allow us to assess the severity of the disease and guide the therapeutic decision. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), for treatment to be optimized and considered effective, periodic assessment with composite disease activity index and a 'treat-to-target' approach is required. The Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) in the Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) includes only three measures based on the central patient self-reported dataset and can be used in a 'treat-to-target' approach analogous to the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and the Disease Activity Score 28-joints (DAS28). This tool, however, has not undergone cross-cultural or clinical validation in Brazil. In this research, we performed the MDHAQ cross-cultural and clinical validation for the Brazilian population of RA patients. METHODS The Portuguese version of the MDHAQ was created identically in an electronic questionnaire and underwent a cross-cultural validation process with 38 participants. Test-retest was performed in 29 patients. Further, a clinical validation with 129 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients was performed. Electronic MDHAQ was answered through an online platform. We also collected socioeconomic data as well as other clinical (CDAI, SDAI, DAS28) and functional (HAQ) scores during the face-to-face assessment of patients. RESULTS MDHAQ/RAPID3 maintained semantic, idiomatic, as well as conceptual and experience equivalence for the Brazilian population, with 92% acceptance of participants. It showed test-retest reliability, adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.85) and correlation of the scores obtained with adequate association with the DAS28 gold standard. RAPID3 also had high sensitivity (98%), adequate specificity (48%), high negative predictive value (92%) and negative post-test probability of 8%, attributes expected for a test tool for population screening. CONCLUSION The use of MDHAQ/RAPID3 associated with traditional clinical measures can adequately allow for remote follow-up based on the 'treat-to-target' approach with performance comparable to the gold standard DAS28, being a viable tool in the sample of Brazilian patients with RA in the current context of telehealth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Benedet Lineburger
- grid.414449.80000 0001 0125 3761Mestrado Profissional Em Pesquisa Clínica - Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90035-903 Brazil
| | - Claiton Viegas Brenol
- grid.8532.c0000 0001 2200 7498Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alice Silveira Goularte
- grid.8532.c0000 0001 2200 7498Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Edila Penna Pinheiro
- grid.414449.80000 0001 0125 3761Laboratório de Doenças Autoimunes (LABDAI), HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vânia Naomi Hirakata
- grid.414449.80000 0001 0125 3761Mestrado Profissional Em Pesquisa Clínica - Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90035-903 Brazil
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27
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So H, Chow E, Cheng IT, Lau SL, Li TK, Szeto CC, Tam LS. Factors Associated With Use of Telemedicine for Follow-Up of SLE in the COVID-19 Outbreak. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:790652. [PMID: 34966764 PMCID: PMC8710609 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.790652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the factors associated with telemedicine (TM) use for follow-up of Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) patients in the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a single-centered cross-sectional study conducted in Hong Kong. Consecutive patients followed up at the lupus nephritis clinic were contacted for their preference in changing the coming consultation to TM in the form of videoconferencing. The demographic, socioeconomic, and disease data of the first 140 patients opted for TM and 140 control patients preferred to continue standard in-person follow-up were compared. Results: The mean age of all the participants was 45.6 ± 11.8 years, and the disease duration was 15.0 ± 9.2 years. The majority of them were on prednisolone (90.0%) and immunosuppressants (67.1%). The mean SLEDAI-2k was 3.4 ± 2.4, physician global assessment (PGA) was 0.46 ± 0.62 and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) damage index was 0.97 ± 1.23. A significant proportion of the patients (72.1%) had 1 or more comorbidities. It was found that patients with higher mean PGA (TM: 0.54 ± 0.63 vs. control: 0.38 ± 0.59, p = 0.025) and family monthly income > USD 3,800 (TM: 36.4% vs. control: 23.6%; p = 0.028) preferred TM, while full-time employees (TM: 40.0% vs. control: 50.7%; p = 0.041) preferred in-person follow-up. These predictors remained significant in the multivariate analysis after adjusting for age and gender. No other clinical factors were found to be associated with the preference of TM follow-up. Conclusion: When choosing the mode of care delivery between TM and physical clinic visit for patients with SLE, the physician-assessed disease activity and patient's socio-economic status appeared to be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho So
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Evelyn Chow
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Isaac T Cheng
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sze-Lok Lau
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tena K Li
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cheuk-Chun Szeto
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lai-Shan Tam
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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28
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Tam K, Hazlewood GS, Barber CEH. Effect of Training on Patient Self-Assessment of Joint Counts in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review. ACR Open Rheumatol 2021; 3:860-869. [PMID: 34535968 PMCID: PMC8672172 DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Patient self‐assessed joint counts, if accurate and reliable, could potentially serve as a useful clinical assessment tool in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This systematic review examines the effect of patient training on the inter‐rater reliability of joint counts between patients and clinicians. Methods The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL for articles that incorporated patient training and measured the reliability of patient self‐assessed joint counts in RA. Articles were included if they reported on the inter‐rater reliability between patient and clinician joint counts in both trained and untrained patients with RA. Data were extracted on characteristics of patients, structure and components of the training interventions, joint count reliability of patients with and without training, and patient feedback on training interventions. The relevant data were summarized and described. Results Multiple training methods have been studied (n = 5), including in‐person sessions run by rheumatologists and instructional videos on the joint examination. Overall, training improved the reliability of patient self–joint counts, with more marked improvement in reliability of swollen joint counts than tender joint counts. Patients had positive feedback when surveyed on their experiences with training. Conclusion Various training modalities (in‐person and video‐based) may be effective at improving reliability of patient self–joint counts. More research is needed on this topic, with potential areas for future research including 1) comparison between the efficacy of different modalities of training, and 2) impact of patient factors (education level and disease severity) on the efficacy of training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Tam
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Glen S Hazlewood
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Claire E H Barber
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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29
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Tang W, Khalili L, Askanase A. Telerheumatology: A Narrative Review. RHEUMATOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH 2021; 2:139-145. [PMID: 36465071 PMCID: PMC9524794 DOI: 10.2478/rir-2021-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Telemedicine (TM), the delivery of health care using telecommunication technologies, has been in use in rheumatology practice for over two decades to maximize access and optimize care. As a direct consequence of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, rheumatology practice shifted from traditional in-person encounters to TM to ensure the safety of both healthcare professionals and patients. However, there is limited literature on the acceptance, feasibility, and effectiveness of TM in the management of rheumatic diseases. Additionally, there is limited guidance on the implementation of telerheumatology (TR) for both patient care and clinical trials. Here we reviewed the most recent publications related to the application of TR, in the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), assessed the perceptions of patients and physicians on TM in rheumatology, and identified several key barriers to TR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Tang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032, USA
| | - Leila Khalili
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032, USA
| | - Anca Askanase
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032, USA
- E-mail:
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30
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Miner H, Ring D, Koenig KM. Convenience is Key for Patient Engagement with Remote Video Visits in a Musculoskeletal Practice. THE ARCHIVES OF BONE AND JOINT SURGERY 2021; 9:439-444. [PMID: 34423094 DOI: 10.22038/abjs.2020.50024.2480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Remote video visits (aka telemedicine, virtual care) have the potential to increase access to orthopaedic specialty evaluation while decreasing the overall cost of care. Clinical implementation of remote video visits may benefit from an understanding of potential barriers to participation. Methods We enrolled one hundred and thirty participants from a university-based musculoskeletal clinic with a large uninsured population. We asked participants to complete a survey, including demographics and scaled perception questions about remote video visits. Data from these surveys were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression to determine factors associated with willingness to participate in video visits, as well as the situations in which patients would consider a video visit. Results Willingness to participate in video visits was associated with the perception of video visits being more convenient (OR 3.0) and a decreased perceived importance of physical exam (OR 0.36) but not age, technology comfort, or travel distance to the clinic. Additionally, those with prior video visit experience were more comfortable with technology, perceived video visits to be more convenient, and were more willing to have another video visit. Fifteen percent were willing to have a video visit for their first visit, while 78% would participate for a routine non-surgical follow-up. Conclusion Musculoskeletal telemedicine programs can become established by focusing on people that prioritize convenience, place less importance on a hands-on exam, and are established patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Miner
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - David Ring
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Karl M Koenig
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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31
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George MD, Danila MI, Watrous D, Reddy S, Alper J, Xie F, Nowell WB, Kallich J, Clinton C, Saag KG, Curtis JR. Disruptions in Rheumatology Care and the Rise of Telehealth in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Community Practice-Based Network. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2021; 73:1153-1161. [PMID: 33973389 PMCID: PMC8212120 DOI: 10.1002/acr.24626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective The effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on community‐based rheumatology care and the use of telehealth is unclear. We undertook this study to investigate the impact of the pandemic on rheumatology care delivery in a large community practice–based network. Methods Using a community practice–based rheumatologist network, we examined trends in in‐person versus telehealth visits versus canceled visits in 3 time periods: pre–COVID‐19, COVID‐19 transition (6 weeks beginning March 23, 2020), and post–COVID‐19 transition (May‐August). In the transition period, we compared patients who received in‐person care versus telehealth visits versus those who cancelled all visits. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with canceled or telehealth visits. Results Pre–COVID‐19, there were 7,075 visits/week among 60,002 unique rheumatology patients cared for by ~300 providers practicing in 92 offices. This number decreased substantially (24.6% reduction) during the COVID‐19 transition period for in‐person visits but rebounded to pre–COVID‐19 levels during the post–COVID‐19 transition. There were almost no telehealth visits pre–COVID‐19, but telehealth increased substantially during the COVID‐19 transition (41.4% of all follow‐up visits) and slightly decreased during the post–COVID‐19 transition (27.7% of visits). Older age, female sex, Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, lower socioeconomic status, and rural residence were associated with a greater likelihood of canceling visits. Most factors were also associated with a lower likelihood of having telehealth versus in‐office visits. Patients living further from the rheumatologists’ office were more likely to use telehealth. Conclusion COVID‐19 led to large disruptions in rheumatology care; these disruptions were only partially offset by increases in telehealth use and disproportionately affected racial/ethnic minorities and patients with lower socioeconomic status. During the COVID‐19 era, telehealth continues to be an important part of rheumatology practice, but disparities in access to care exist for some vulnerable groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jeffrey Alper
- Medallion Clinical Research Institute, Naples, Florida
| | | | | | - Joel Kallich
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, Boston
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32
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Tornero-Molina J, Sánchez-Alonso F, Fernández-Prada M, Bris-Ochaita ML, Sifuentes-Giraldo A, Vidal-Fuentes J. Tele-Rheumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 18:157-163. [PMID: 34088655 PMCID: PMC8169323 DOI: 10.1016/j.reumae.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Introduction During the Covid-19 pandemic strategies to prevent transmission of the viral infection obliged our hospital to promote virtual consultations. Objetive The objective of this study is to describe the results obtained with the previous strategy of transferring activity to teleconsultation during the period of maximum impact of the pandemic. Material and methods Between 16/03 and 10/05/2020 all successive consultations in our unit were performed in virtual rheumatology teleconference (RTC) format. The socio-demographic, geo-functional and clinical characteristics of all patients were collected; a numeric verbal scale (NVS) (where 0 = very dissatisfied to 10 = fully satisfied) was applied to assess the degree of satisfaction of the doctor/patient with the RTC. Results 469 TC were included. Most patients seen by RTC were women, mean age: 60,83 years. Only 16% had university education. The mean distance travelled for face-to face consultation is 33 Km with a mean total time of 2 h. Most individuals were diagnosed with osteoarthritis/soft tissue rheumatic diseases and/or osteoporosis; 21% had rheumatoid arthritis. The mean length of the TC was 9.64 min. We find more patient satisfaction with the TC when their level of education is higher (OR = 4.12); doctor satisfaction was higher when the individual was better able to manage the Internet (OR = 3.01). Conclusion It is possible to transfer rheumatological care activity to TC with a considerable degree of satisfaction for both the patient and the doctor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Tornero-Molina
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario General de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain; Departamento de Medicina y Especialidades Médicas, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Manuel Fernández-Prada
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario General de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain
| | | | | | - Javier Vidal-Fuentes
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario General de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In early 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic shifted most healthcare to remote delivery methods to protect patients, clinicians, and hospital staff. Such remote care delivery methods include the use of telehealth technologies including clinical video telehealth or telephone visits. Prior to this, research on the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of telehealth applied to rheumatology, or telerheumatology, has been limited. RECENT FINDINGS Telerheumatology visits were found to be noninferior to in-person visits and are often more time and cost effective for patients. Clinicians and patients both noted the lack of a physical exam in telehealth visits and patients missed the opportunity to have lab work done or other diagnostic tests they are afforded with in-person visits. Overall, patients and clinicians had positive attitudes toward the use of telerheumatology and agreed on its usefulness, even beyond the pandemic. SUMMARY Although telerheumatology has the potential to expand the reach of rheumatology practice, some of the most vulnerable patients still lack the most basic resources required for a telehealth visit. As the literature on telerheumatology continues to expand, attention should be paid to health equity, the digital divide, as well as patient preferences in order to foster true shared decision-making over telehealth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Matsumoto
- Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System
| | - Jennifer L Barton
- Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Han L, Hazlewood GS, Barnabe C, Barber CEH. Systematic Review of Outcomes and Patient Experience with Virtual Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2021; 74:1484-1492. [PMID: 33650316 DOI: 10.1002/acr.24586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review on patient outcomes of virtual care compared to conventional care in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) including disease activity and patient experience. METHODS A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed from database inception to 03/19/2020. Observational and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) describing the use of RA virtual care supplanting conventional visits and reporting on disease activity and/or patient experience were included. A narrative synthesis of results was conducted as a meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity of study designs and outcome reporting. RESULTS 352 studies were identified, and 6 were selected for final inclusion: 3 were RCTs and 3 were observational studies. Disease activity and patient experience were comparable between virtual and conventional care models. In addition, one RCT found no difference in observed outcomes between virtual care delivered by a rheumatologist and by a rheumatology nurse. Virtual care was found to have additional benefits for improved treatment adherence, maintenance of functional status, and quality of life. The overall risk of bias was low in 2/3 RCTs, but high in the observational studies. Study quality was limited by incomplete data reporting, lack of sample size justification and sufficient timeframe to assess objectives. CONCLUSIONS There is limited evidence that virtual RA care is an acceptable alternative to conventional care, maintaining comparable patient outcomes and experience of care. Additional research into effective implementation strategies and long-term health system and patient outcomes of virtual care are needed. SIGNIFICANCE AND INNOVATIONS There is a paucity of research in the use of virtual care for rheumatology, especially describing the ability of virtual care modalities to supplant in person visits. Virtual care for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management appears in the short term to provide equivalent control of disease activity and good patient experience compared to conventional follow-up strategies. Future studies should evaluate the long-term impacts of virtual care on RA outcomes and health service utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Han
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Glen S Hazlewood
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Arthritis Research, Canada
| | - Chery Barnabe
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Arthritis Research, Canada
| | - Claire E H Barber
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Arthritis Research, Canada
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Lockwood MM, Wallwork RS, Lima K, Dua AB, Seo P, Bolster MB. Telemedicine in Adult Rheumatology: In Practice and In Training. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2021; 74:1227-1233. [PMID: 33555127 DOI: 10.1002/acr.24569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Telemedicine has been defined as "the use of medical information that is exchanged from one site to another through electronic communication to improve a patient's health" (1). There are several interactions to consider within telemedicine, including clinician-to-clinician, clinician-to-patient, and patient-to-mobile health technology, each of which can provide synchronous or asynchronous care. Traditionally, rheumatologists used telemedicine to provide care for patients with limited access to subspecialists, a care gap accentuated by the geographic maldistribution of rheumatologists in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M Lockwood
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Bulfinch 165, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Rachel S Wallwork
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Suite 5300, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Kaitlin Lima
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 240 E. Huron Street, M300, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Anisha B Dua
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 240 E. Huron Street, M300, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Philip Seo
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Suite 5300, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Marcy B Bolster
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Bulfinch 165, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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36
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McDougall J. Leveraging Telemedicine as an Approach to Address Rheumatic Disease Health Disparities. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2021; 47:97-107. [PMID: 34042057 DOI: 10.1016/j.rdc.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Telerheumatology is the application of telehealth to rheumatic disease. Although generally acceptable to both providers and patients, little is known about the safety of telerheumatology or about when, how, and for whom it is best used. Telerheumatology's impact on the rheumatology workforce as well as access to care and health disparities in rheumatic disease is not known. These outcomes likely will depend on the specific telemedicine modalities employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John McDougall
- Northern Navajo Medical Center, Highway 491 North, Shiprock, NM, USA.
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37
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Gkrouzman E, Wu DD, Jethwa H, Abraham S. Telemedicine in Rheumatology at the Advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic. HSS J 2020; 16:108-111. [PMID: 33041724 PMCID: PMC7537960 DOI: 10.1007/s11420-020-09810-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gkrouzman
- Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E. 70th St., New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Dee Dee Wu
- Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E. 70th St., New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Hannah Jethwa
- Department of Rheumatology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire, UK
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38
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Tornero-Molina J, Sánchez-Alonso F, Fernández-Prada M, Bris-Ochaita ML, Sifuentes-Giraldo A, Vidal-Fuentes J. Tele-Rheumatology During the COVID-19 Pandemic. REUMATOLOGIA CLINICA 2020; 18:S1699-258X(20)30240-0. [PMID: 33214110 PMCID: PMC7598343 DOI: 10.1016/j.reuma.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION During the COVID-19 pandemic strategies to prevent transmission of the viral infection obliged our hospital to promote virtual consultations. OBJETIVE The objective of this study is to describe the results obtained with the previous strategy of transferring activity to teleconsultation during the period of maximum impact of the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between 16/03 and 10/05/2020 all successive consultations in our unit were performed in virtual rheumatology teleconference (RTC) format. The socio-demographic, geo-functional and clinical characteristics of all patients were collected; a numeric verbal scale (NVS) (where 0=very dissatisfied to 10=fully satisfied) was applied to assess the degree of satisfaction of the doctor/patient with the RTC. RESULTS 469 TC were included. Most patients seen by RTC were women, mean age: 60,83 years. Only 16% had university education. The mean distance travelled for face-to face consultation is 33 Km with a mean total time of 2hours. Most individuals were diagnosed with osteoarthritis/soft tissue rheumatic diseases and/or osteoporosis; 21% had rheumatoid arthritis. The mean length of the TC was 9.64minutes. We find more patient satisfaction with the TC when their level of education is higher (OR=4.12); doctor satisfaction was higher when the individual was better able to manage the Internet (OR=3.01). CONCLUSION It is possible to transfer rheumatological care activity to TC with a considerable degree of satisfaction for both the patient and the doctor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Tornero-Molina
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario General de Guadalajara , Guadalajara, España; Departamento de Medicina y Especialidades Médicas, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, España.
| | | | - Manuel Fernández-Prada
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario General de Guadalajara , Guadalajara, España
| | | | | | - Javier Vidal-Fuentes
- Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario General de Guadalajara , Guadalajara, España
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England BR, Barber CEH, Bergman M, Ranganath VK, Suter LG, Michaud K. Brief Report: Adaptation of American College of Rheumatology Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity and Functional Status Measures for Telehealth Visits. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2020; 73:1809-1814. [PMID: 32813284 PMCID: PMC7461171 DOI: 10.1002/acr.24429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Objective To provide guidance on the implementation of recommended American College of Rheumatology (ACR) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity and functional status assessment measures in telehealth settings. Methods An expert panel was assembled from the recently convened ACR RA disease activity and functional status measures working groups to summarize strategies for implementation of ACR‐recommended RA disease activity (the Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI], Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate or the C‐reactive protein level [DAS28‐ESR/CRP], Patient Activity Scale II [PAS‐II], Simplified Disease Activity Index [SDAI], and Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 [RAPID3]) and functional status (the Health Assessment Questionnaire II [HAQ‐II], Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire [MDHAQ], and PROMIS physical function 10‐item short form [PROMIS PF‐10]) measures in telehealth settings. Results Measures composed of patient‐reported items (disease activity: PAS‐II, RAPID3; functional status: HAQ‐II, MDHAQ, PROMIS PF‐10) require minimal modification for use in telehealth settings. Measures requiring formal joint counts (the CDAI, DAS28‐ESR/CRP, and SDAI) can be calculated using patient‐reported swollen and tender joint counts. When the feasibility of laboratory testing is limited, the CDAI can be used in place of the SDAI, and scoring modifications of the DAS28‐ESR/CRP without the acute‐phase reactant are available. Assessment of the validity of these modifications is limited. Implementation of these measures can be facilitated by electronic health record collection, mobile applications, and provider/staff administration during telehealth visits. Conclusion The ACR‐recommended RA disease activity and functional status measures can be adapted for use in telehealth settings to support high‐quality clinical care. Research is needed to better understand how telehealth settings may impact the validity of these measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryant R England
- Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center & VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Heath Care System, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Claire E H Barber
- Department of Medicine & Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Arthritis Research Canada, Canada
| | - Martin Bergman
- Department of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Veena K Ranganath
- University of California, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Lisa G Suter
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, Yale-New Haven Health System, Center for Outcome Research and Evaluation, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Health System, United States
| | - Kaleb Michaud
- Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center & VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Heath Care System, Omaha, NE, United States.,FORWARD, The National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases, Wichita, KS, United States
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40
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Jethwa H, Abraham S. Should we be using the Covid-19 outbreak to prompt us to transform our rheumatology service delivery in the technology age? Rheumatology (Oxford) 2020; 59:1469-1471. [PMID: 32441754 PMCID: PMC7313867 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keaa218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Jethwa
- Department of Rheumatology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire
| | - Sonya Abraham
- Department of Rheumatology, Imperial College, London, UK
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41
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The attitude of Polish rheumatology patients towards telemedicine in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reumatologia 2020; 58:134-141. [PMID: 32684645 PMCID: PMC7362273 DOI: 10.5114/reum.2020.96665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives In response to the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, the Polish government has enabled specialist teleconsultations. Due to this, Polish patients have gained access to continuation of outpatient specialist healthcare using information and communication technologies. The goal of the study was to recognize the needs and expectations as well as the main concerns of Polish rheumatology patients in regard to teleconsultations. Material and methods An online-based questionnaire comprising 17 single choice and multiple choice, open-end questions was collected among Polish rheumatology patients directly after the introduction of specialist teleconsultations. Results 244 respondents completed the survey. Mean age of the respondents was 40.6 ±10.5 and 92.6% of them were female. 48% of the respondents lived not further than 20 kilometres from their outpatient rheumatology clinic. The mean severity of current symptoms, assessed by patients on a visual-analogue scale, was 4.9 ±2.4. 82% of the respondents selected telephone consultations as the most convenient form of receiving rheumatology advice. The patients highlighted the lack of physical examination (43%) and additional tests (43.9%) as the factors discouraging them from teleconsultations; 8.2% of respondents were against maintaining rheumatology teleconsultations after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; 3.7% of the respondents received information on teleconsultations from a medical professional. Conclusions The community of Polish rheumatology patients is eager to benefit from specialist teleconsultations. Telephone consultations are the most eagerly chosen form of remote consultations. Medical professionals should actively promote this form of patient in order to reach the patients who do not use the computer readily.
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