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Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Apr 2024In-flight medical incidents are becoming increasingly critical as passengers with diverse health profiles increase in the skies. In this paper, we reviewed how airlines,... (Review)
Review
In-flight medical incidents are becoming increasingly critical as passengers with diverse health profiles increase in the skies. In this paper, we reviewed how airlines, aviation authorities, and healthcare professionals respond to such emergencies. The analysis was focused on the strategies developed by the top ten airlines in the world by examining training in basic first aid, collaboration with ground-based medical support, and use of onboard medical equipment. Appropriate training of crew members, availability of adequate medical resources on board airplanes, and improved capabilities of dialogue between a flying plane and medical doctors on the ground will contribute to a positive outcome of the majority of medical issues on board airlines. In this respect, the adoption of advanced telemedicine solutions and the improvement of real-time teleconsultations between aircraft and ground-based professionals can represent the future of aviation medicine, offering more safety and peace of mind to passengers in case of medical problems during a flight.
Topics: Humans; Aircraft; Emergencies; Aerospace Medicine; Telemedicine; Emergency Medical Services; First Aid; Aviation
PubMed: 38792866
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60050683 -
Telemedicine Journal and E-health : the... Nov 2023
Topics: Humans; Child; Pandemics; COVID-19; Telemedicine; Delivery of Health Care; Physicians
PubMed: 36976756
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0526 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023The aim of the study was to evaluate the satisfaction of the use of telemedicine and telenursing in children and young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) using Advanced...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
The aim of the study was to evaluate the satisfaction of the use of telemedicine and telenursing in children and young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) using Advanced Hybrid Closed Loop systems (AHCL) with a focus on the role of connectivity, data download and the ease of technical steps in the set and sensor change procedures.
METHODS
An online anonymous survey was administered to AHCL users. The questionnaire consisted of five Clusters: Cluster A-B-C included questions related to the general satisfaction in the use of telemedicine, Cluster D was focused on the role of data download and connectivity, Cluster E was related to satisfaction in telenursing and Cluster F to the perception of ease of execution of the technical steps like changing the infusion set and the sensor.
RESULTS
We collected 136 completed questionnaires. 83.8% of AHCL users were overall satisfied with the quality of the telemedicine service. 88.2% of patients downloaded AHCL data before visits and the overall quality of televisits (data sharing, connectivity, ease of use) was satisfactory for 85.3% of users. Telenursing support during set and sensor change procedures was considered effective by 98% of AHCL users. The sensor and insulin infusion set change procedure is perceived as different for the two systems: set change simpler for Medtronic ( = 0.011) users, while sensor change was simpler for Tandem users ( = 0.009).
CONCLUSION
Telemedicine and telenursing have an essential role in diabetology and are highly appreciated in AHCL users. The nurse support in the education of the use of AHCL systems is effective and must be implemented. Unfortunately, not all patients have the technological tools needed for downloading data at home and using telemedicine services; this represents an important challenge for the future of diabetology and for the equity in accessibility to care.
Topics: Humans; Child; Young Adult; Telenursing; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Telemedicine; Educational Status; Information Dissemination
PubMed: 37711248
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1249299 -
Expert Review of Clinical Immunology 2023Telemedicine and electronic medical records (EMRs) have revolutionized healthcare in recent years, offering numerous benefits that improve the delivery of care and the...
INTRODUCTION
Telemedicine and electronic medical records (EMRs) have revolutionized healthcare in recent years, offering numerous benefits that improve the delivery of care and the overall patient outcomes.
AREAS COVERED
Telemedicine allows providers to diagnose and treat patients remotely, often eliminating the need for face-to-face visits. Its benefits include improved access to care, convenience for patients, and reduced costs both for patients and providers. When used with remote patient monitoring and remote therapeutic monitoring, continuous care becomes possible. EMRs allow providers to store, access, and share patient information more efficiently than paper charts. The benefits of EMRs include improved patient safety, increased efficiency, and reduced costs.
EXPERT OPINION
The combination of telemedicine with EMRs makes it possible to envision the advent of computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD). This technology uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyze medical information including images, clinical and physiologic data, test results and remotely obtained information to support healthcare providers in making accurate diagnoses. By providing providers with what is essentially a second opinion, CAD systems can help prevent misdiagnoses and improve the quality of care. Such systems are not meant to replace healthcare providers, but rather to support them in making more informed and accurate diagnoses.
Topics: Humans; Child; Pandemics; Artificial Intelligence; Telemedicine; Delivery of Health Care; Monitoring, Physiologic
PubMed: 37354030
DOI: 10.1080/1744666X.2023.2229956 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Jul 2023The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transition in health care, which required a rapid adaptation for stakeholders. Telemedicine has emerged as an ideal tool to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transition in health care, which required a rapid adaptation for stakeholders. Telemedicine has emerged as an ideal tool to ensure continuity of care by allowing remote access to specialized medical services. However, its rapid implementation has exacerbated disparities in health care access, especially for the most susceptible populations.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to characterize the determinant factors (facilitators and barriers) of access to hospital medical specialty telemedicine consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the main opportunities and challenges (technological, ethical, legal, and social) generated by the use of telemedicine in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A total of 4 databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register) were searched for empirical studies published between January 3, 2020, and December 31, 2021, using established criteria. The protocol of this review was registered and published in PROSPERO (CRD42022302825). A methodological quality assessment was performed, and the results were integrated into a thematic synthesis. The identification of the main opportunities and challenges was done by interpreting and aggregating the thematic synthesis results.
RESULTS
Of the 106 studies identified, 9 met the inclusion criteria and the intended quality characteristics. All studies were originally from the United States. The following facilitating factors of telemedicine use were identified: health insurance coverage; prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection; access to internet services; access to technological devices; better management of work-life balance; and savings in travel costs. We identified the following barriers to telemedicine use: lack of access to internet services; lack of access to technological devices; racial and ethnic disparities; low digital literacy; low income; age; language barriers; health insurance coverage; concerns about data privacy and confidentiality; geographic disparities; and the need for complementary diagnostic tests or the delivery of test results.
CONCLUSIONS
The facilitating factors and barriers identified in this systematic review present different opportunities and challenges, including those of a technological nature (access to technological devices and internet services and level of digital literacy), a sociocultural and demographic nature (ethnic and racial disparities, geographic disparities, language barriers, and age), a socioeconomic nature (income level and health insurance coverage), and an ethical and legal nature (data privacy and confidentiality). To expand telemedicine access to hospital-based specialty medical consultations and provide high-quality care to all, including the most susceptible communities, the challenges identified must be thoroughly researched and addressed with informed and dedicated responses.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Pandemics; Transition to Adult Care; SARS-CoV-2; Telemedicine; Health Services Accessibility; Referral and Consultation; Hospitals
PubMed: 37262124
DOI: 10.2196/44188 -
Journal of Diabetes Science and... Sep 2023Strict monitoring of blood glucose during pregnancy is essential for ensuring optimal maternal and neonatal outcomes. Telemedicine could be a promising solution for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Strict monitoring of blood glucose during pregnancy is essential for ensuring optimal maternal and neonatal outcomes. Telemedicine could be a promising solution for supporting diabetes management; however, an updated meta-analysis is warranted. This study assesses the effects of telemedicine solutions for managing gestational and pregestational diabetes.
METHODS
PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, and CINAHL were searched up to October 14, 2020. All randomized trials assessing the effects of telemedicine in managing diabetes in pregnancy relative to any comparator without the use of telemedicine were included. The primary outcome was infant birth weight. A meta-analysis comparing the mean difference (MD) in birth weight across studies was applied, and subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. The revised Cochrane tool was applied to assess the risk of bias, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
RESULTS
From a total of 18 studies, ten (totaling 899 participants) were used to calculate the effect on infant birth weight. The results nonsignificantly favored the control (MD of 19.34 g; [95% confidence interval, CI -47.8; 86.47]), with moderate effect certainty. Heterogeneity was moderate ( = 37.39%). Statistically significant secondary outcomes included differences in two-hour glucose tolerance postpartum (gestational diabetes; two studies: standardized mean difference 9.62 mg/dL [95% CI: 1.95; 17.28]) that favored the control (GRADE level, very low) and risk of shoulder dystocia (four studies: log odds -1.34 [95% CI: -2.61; -0.08]) that favored telemedicine (GRADE, low).
CONCLUSIONS
No evidence was found to support telemedicine as an alternative to usual care when considering maternal and fetal outcomes. However, further research is needed, including economic evaluations.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Birth Weight; Diabetes, Gestational; Telemedicine; Blood Glucose
PubMed: 35533131
DOI: 10.1177/19322968221094626 -
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and... 2024Telemedicine use has been increasing especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various studies have outlined benefits of telemedicine including improving health equity,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Telemedicine use has been increasing especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various studies have outlined benefits of telemedicine including improving health equity, reducing wait times, and cost-effectiveness. Skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD) may potentially be managed via telemedicine. However, there are no evidence-based recommendations for best practices in telemedicine for assessing AD patients. The objective of this review is to assess and summarize current evidence on telemedicine modalities for AD. This review will assess patient outcomes from various telemedicine models for AD. A review protocol was developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Two reviewers independently screened potential studies and extracted data. Studies were included if they evaluated any telemedicine assessment for AD. Of 2719 identified records, 5 reports were included. Two reports used the direct-access online model, 1 used web-based consultation, 1 used e-health through a personal eczema portal, and 1 used an online platform and mobile application. All models were variations of the asynchronous, store and forward model. In all the included reports, teledermatology for the follow-up of patients with AD was effective and equivalent when compared to in-person appointments or standard treatment for their respective key outcome measures. However, it is unclear what the most effective teledermatology model is due to significant heterogeneity between studies. Teledermatology may serve as an important tool for triaging and follow-up of patients with AD. More studies are needed to determine which teledermatology models are most effective for virtual assessment of AD.
Topics: Humans; Dermatology; Dermatitis, Atopic; Pandemics; Skin Diseases; Telemedicine
PubMed: 38205736
DOI: 10.1177/12034754231223694 -
JAMA Network Open Jul 2023
Topics: Humans; Telemedicine; Physicians
PubMed: 37410468
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.21955 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jul 2023Telemedical technologies provide significant benefits in sports for performance monitoring and early recognition of many medical issues, especially when sports are... (Review)
Review
Telemedical technologies provide significant benefits in sports for performance monitoring and early recognition of many medical issues, especially when sports are practised outside a regulated playing field, where participants are exposed to rapidly changing environmental conditions or specialised medical assistance is unavailable. We provide a review of the medical literature on the use of telemedicine in adventure and extreme sports. Out of 2715 unique sport citations from 4 scientific databases 16 papers met the criteria, which included all research papers exploring the use of telemedicine for monitoring performance and health status in extreme environments. Their quality was assessed by a double-anonymised review with a specifically designed four-item scoring system. Telemedicine was used in high-mountain sports (37.5%; n = 6), winter sports (18.7%; n = 3), water sports (25%; n = 4), and long-distance land sports (18.7%; n = 3). Telemedicine was used for data transfer, teleconsulting, and the execution of remote-controlled procedures, including imaging diagnostics. Telemedical technologies were also used to diagnose and treat sport-related and environmentally impacted injuries, including emergencies in three extreme conditions: high mountains, ultraendurance activities, and in/under the water. By highlighting sport-specific movement patterns or physiological and pathological responses in extreme climatic conditions and environments, telemedicine may result in better preparation and development of strategies for an in-depth understanding of the stress of the metabolic, cardiorespiratory, biomechanical, or neuromuscular system, potentially resulting in performance improvement and injury prevention.
Topics: Humans; Sports; Telemedicine; Recreation; Remote Consultation; Diagnostic Imaging
PubMed: 37510603
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146371 -
The Psychiatric Clinics of North America Jun 2024Technology-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has enabled more people to access effective, affordable mental health care. This study provides an overview of... (Review)
Review
Technology-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has enabled more people to access effective, affordable mental health care. This study provides an overview of the most common types of technology-delivered CBT, including Internet-delivered, smartphone app, and telehealth CBT, as well as their evidence for the treatment of a range of mental health conditions. We discuss gaps in the existing evidence and future directions in the field for the use of technology CBT interventions.
Topics: Humans; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Telemedicine; Mobile Applications; Mental Disorders; Internet; Smartphone
PubMed: 38724127
DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2024.02.004