[Virtual consultations in paediatrics]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare
• Digital health technologies
• Public health during pandemics

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the global adoption of telemedicine and virtual consultations in pediatrics.
• Existing research indicates significant parental satisfaction with telemedicine services.
• Technological challenges represent a primary obstacle to widespread telemedicine implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state of telemedicine in pediatrics.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for its implementation.
• To highlight areas for future development, including guidelines and education.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on pediatric telemedicine.
• Analysis of research focusing on parental satisfaction, technological barriers, clinical outcomes, and stakeholder perspectives.
• Synthesis of findings to identify gaps in current knowledge and practice.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine has demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes to in-person visits in some studies.
• Parental perspectives are largely positive, but child and adolescent viewpoints are underrepresented.
• Technological infrastructure and accessibility remain significant implementation barriers.

Conclusions:

• Further research is needed to understand the experiences of children and adolescents with telemedicine.
• Development of specific guidelines and educational programs for pediatric telemedicine is crucial.
• Addressing technological barriers is essential for optimizing virtual care in pediatrics.