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Introduction. The COVID-19 infection drastically affected health care worldwide, creating challenges for primary care. In order to mitigate and manage infection, telemedicine has become an emerging and effective modality in several medical specialties, including head and neck surgery. Methods. Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patients seen in virtual consultation over 18 months. Absolute and relative frequencies were estimated, univariate analysis was done with chi-square, and bivariate analysis with binary logistic regression. Variables such as primary diagnosis, the resolution power of the consultation, the need for an in-person appointment, the platform, and its difficulties were included. Results. 2485 patients from 11 departments were included. Thyroid pathology was the most frequent (62.9%), followed by aerodigestive tract pathology (10.8%). The consultation was efficient in 99% of cases, with a resolution capacity of 96.4%. 1.4% had difficulties on the platform and 8.3% of patients required an in-person. When there was difficulty in reviewing exams or an inadequate functional inspection, it was 30 times more likely to not be able to efficiently be resolved. Conclusion. Telemedicine provides an efficient alternative for care in head and neck surgery, especially in thyroid pathology controls, avoiding unnecessary travel. In the aerodigestive tract, where the physical examination is essential, its usefulness is limited to the possibility of performing a subsequent endoscopic examination that allows adequate staging and facilitates in-person assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The medical care paradigm is face-to-face; however, technological development has led to the digital modality. Objective: To determine cost-effectiveness of digital care and face-to-face care at the first level of care. Material and methods: Cost-effectiveness study. 2 groups were integrated: the digital service and the face-to-face service. The sample size was calculated with the percentage formula for 2 groups, and the result was 217 per group. The effectiveness was evaluated in 3 dimensions: the satisfaction of the patient, of the doctor and of the medical assistant. In all 3 cases the Visual analogue scale was used. The cost corresponded to the fixed unit cost estimated with the technique of times and movements adjusted for the duration of care. The statistical analysis included averages, percentages and costeffectiveness ratio. Results: The cost of digital attention is $343.83 and face-toface attention is $171.91 (all estimated in Mexican pesos). From the patient's perspective, the effectiveness in digital care is $9.47 and in face-to-face is $9.25. The cost to reach effectiveness of 10 in face-to-face care is $185.85 and in digital care $363.20. From the physician's perspective, the cost to achieve effectiveness of 10 is $419.13 in digital care and $184.52 in face-to-face care. From the perspective of the medical assistant, to achieve effectiveness of 10, the cost in digital care is $468.43 and in face-to-face $179.83. Conclusions: Currently, the best cost-effectiveness ratio corresponds to face-to-face care; however, digital care is an option that will have to evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to explore the scope and limitations of teleconsultation during the pandemic from the perspective of primary care physicians at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, a private institution located in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. A qualitative study was conducted with ten individual semi-structured interviews between January and April 2022. The three major emerging topics were the transition to virtuality, accessibility, and the new care model. Obstacles were related to the massive, forced, and unplanned implementation of teleconsultations. The main benefits included providing care during isolation-distancing and addressing epidemiological doubts. Changes were highlighted in care strategies, consultation frameworks, exchange among colleagues, referral criteria, requests for complementary studies, and in the profiles of those seeking consultations. A misuse of the system by individuals and a trivialization of the consultation moment emerged. The rise of communication and information technologies undoubtedly allowed the continuity of healthcare processes, but it does not replace in-person care, and normative guidelines are needed for its continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Médica Peruana is the property of Colegio Medico del Peru and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in pediatrics with variable clinical behavior and response to treatment, which requires frequent monitoring of the evolution. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 and social confinement limited in-person follow-up of in outpatient patients, which forced the use of alternatives; telemedicine was one of them. Objective: To present the benefits of telemedicine modalities for the follow-up of pediatric epileptic patients. Methods: A descriptive and prospective observational case series study was carried out with 52 epileptic patients between 0 and 18 years of age, from March 2020 to January 2022. Telemedicine modalities were used (conventional and mobile telephone, messaging SMS and voice, email, teleconsultations, home videos of the crises). A survey was also carried out on parents or guardians to find out their opinion on the usefulness of this method and the possibility of maintaining their use during the new normal. Results: The age group of 5-14 years (44.23%), male sex (57.69%), rural origin (57.69%) and focal onset seizures (51.92%) predominated. Only 13.46% of patients required admission. A hundred percent of parents considered the remote care modality useful during the pandemic and 73.07% considered that it could be maintained in the new normal. Conclusions: In the new normal, telemedicine could be an effective tool in combination with in-person consultations, especially for those patients with favorable clinical evolution, and also contribute to reducing costs for patients and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused face-to-face outpatient care in health establishments to be restricted, the government establishes actions to continue providing said health services. Objective of the study: To describe the usability of the virtual health care in the COVID-19 quarantine period at the National Institute of Child Health (INSN) of Peru. Material and methods: Cross-sectional study. 7,697 patients were admitted to the INSN for virtual outpatient consultation from May to July 2020. The sampling was simple random and there was a sample of 374 participants who met the selection criteria. The telehealth usability questionnaire (TUQ) was used. Parents of patients who received virtual consultation were interviewed by telephone. Results: The average age of the interviewees was 36.2 years, mostly women and from Lima. The average age of the patients treated is 6.7 years, being mostly male (51.3%). The Smartphone was the most used device (97.6%); medical services the most consulted (84.4%), most recurrent pathologies related to the respiratory system (10.4%). 55.2% and 57.4% of the participants totally agree on the usefulness and ease of use of virtual medical care, respectively. Conclusions: The use of telehealth in the INSN had a positive impact, it managed to connect patients with their doctor in order to continue with their treatments and provide an optimal medical care response in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: telemedicine can improve the standards of clinical care and use of resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has required its implementation in routine practice. For this reason, a group of endocrinologists from Valencia, Murcia and the Balearic Islands created a committee for its development. Objectives: to establish recommendations in order to improve the quality of consultation in nutritional disorders, and to create indicators for its management. Methodology: the Delphi methodology was followed with the participation of 13 professionals in order to reach the widest consensus. A 16-item questionnaire was distributed within 3 rounds: in the first round, the degree of consensus was established; in the second round, the participants responded to the posed questions after having access to the first-round results. Agreement was considered if ≥ 75 % participants reached consensus, while strong agreement was considered if consensus was reached by ≥ 90 %. In addition, quality indicators were established. In a third round, these indicators were developed. Results: after 3 rounds and a revision 5 recommendations with strong agreement were established based on organizational aspects. Regarding administrative aspects, 6 recommendations with strong agreement were established while 4 recommendations reached the level of agreement. Eight quality indicators were selected and developed. Conclusions: this document compiles a list of recommendations about needs and requirements to be taken into account for a quality telematic consultation in patients with nutritional disorders. In addition, health care quality indicators have been created and developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the relationship between quality of care and satisfaction of users treated via gynecologic oncology telemedicine from August to October 2021. Materials and methods: An observational, cross-sectional and prospective study conducted with 302 users. Instruments: modified SERVPERF questionnaire to evaluate the quality of care, MINSA's checklist to evaluate the structure, and telemedicine time record sheet to evaluate the process. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics V27 and Fisher's F test with p < 0.05. Results: Compliance with the structure was 66.67 % according to MINSA. Regarding the process, patient waiting time to get a telemedicine appointment was 1 to 7 days in 53.31 %, patient waiting time to begin a telemedicine consultation was < 10 minutes in 64.22 %, and telemedicine length was 11 to 15 minutes in 41.39 %. Quality of care dimensions such as reliability, responsiveness, safety, empathy and tangible aspects were good in 91.72 %, 90.06 %, 91.05 %, 88.41 % and 92.39 %, respectively. Quality of care was good, fair and bad in 95.37 %, 4.32 % and 0.31 %, respectively. Satisfaction was high, medium and low in 88.35 %, 7.93 % and 3.72 %, respectively. According to Fisher's F test, the relationship between quality of care, with its respective dimensions, and satisfaction was < 0.000. Conclusions: There is a relationship between quality of care and satisfaction of users of telemedicine. The process meets the established requirements and the structure is still in process. Quality of care is good and satisfaction is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Enfermería en Cardiologia is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Enfermeria en Cardiologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected healthcare systems severely and has had a negative impact on healthcare. However, it has also been a catalyst for digital transformation in many healthcare centers and in the pharmaceutical industry. In this article, the experience of digital transformation during the pandemic is reviewed from the perspective of healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry, with a focus on digital visits, on-line education, and the model of interaction between healthcare professionals and the industry. Also, some key points are given to facilitate a successful digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to present the experiences of telehealth in a hospital specialized in mental health in Lima, Peru during 2020. In accordance with the provisions such as the temporary closure of face-to-face care and mandatory confinement between the months of March As of December, care was progressively provided through telephone calls, video calls or digital platforms, with 57,398 teleconsultations and telemonitoring, 4411 mental health orientations, 295 teleinterconsultations in psychiatry, 42 teletraining activities and 29 educational sessions in mental health aimed at the general population. We conclude that the implementation of telehealth for the care of the users of the Hermilio Valdizán Hospital contributed to mental health care and reduces the gaps in access to specialized care in psychiatry due to the consequences of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article addresses the obstacles to accessing telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the lack of internet access and digital devices, especially in rural areas and among older adults. Additionally, it mentions the lack of training in telemedicine due to the health emergency. The importance of addressing these barriers to ensure equitable healthcare is emphasized. The LivingLab Telehealth program at the University of Antioquia is mentioned as a successful example of telemedicine in Colombia. It is concluded that government interventions are required to improve access to telemedicine and reduce health inequities. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Hospital a Domicilio is the property of Centro Internacional Virtual de Investigacion en Nutricion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Enfermería en Cardiologia is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Enfermeria en Cardiologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. Identify barriers to implementation of the teleconsultation process in order to develop strategies to improve the program's operation. Methods. A process evaluation strategy was used to study the implementation of the teleconsultation service. The program's operating manuals were compared with the qualitative and quantitative information compiled on the practical implementation of the teleconsultation process. Results. The factors reported as obstacles to the teleconsultation process were: slow Internet connection, the hours available to the public, the specialized services offered, and insufficient clinical history included in teleconsultation requests. It was determined that 60% of internal medicine patients received two or more teleconsultations in the study period, as did 44% of patients of the gynecology service. Four consulting medical units accounted for 75% of the teleconsultations and the rest were distributed among 12 medical units. Conclusions. The barriers identified in the teleconsultation process mainly affect consulting physicians; even so, productivity is on an upward trend. Despite the existing barriers, it was determined that some patients receive follow-up through the program, which favors access to care. It is necessary to standardize implementation and to conduct subsequent research on patients' health condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]