Developing a pediatric ophthalmology telemedicine program in the COVID-19 crisis
Saloni Kapoor1, Amgad Eldib1, Jamila Hiasat1
1UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Summary
Synchronous telemedicine, including virtual ophthalmology consults, was rapidly implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. This strategy ensured continued patient care with a low no-show rate for scheduled e-visits.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Telemedicine
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adaptation of healthcare delivery models.
- Synchronous telemedicine emerged as a critical tool for maintaining patient care continuity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the methodology for implementing synchronous telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a telemedicine strategy in an ophthalmology setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of outpatient records at a children's hospital.
- Categorization of appointments into in-person, postponable, or virtual visits.
- Development of patient communication scripts, standardized emails, and telemedicine flowcharts.
Main Results:
- 206 virtual ophthalmology consults were completed, with 43 new and 163 returning patients.
- Low no-show rate (3%) for scheduled e-visits.
- 8% of on-demand pediatric e-consults were eye-related.
Conclusions:
- A telemedicine strategy, categorized by patient needs, can be rapidly implemented during pandemics.
- Telemedicine effectively provided continued patient care with high completion rates and low no-show rates.
- The methodology supports the scalability of telemedicine in pediatric ophthalmology.
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