Updated Review of the Pacific Asynchronous Telehealth System's Impact on Military Pediatric Teleconsultations

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Telehealth
• Pediatric Subspecialty Care

Background:

• The Pacific Asynchronous TeleHealth (PATH) system facilitates provider-to-provider teleconsultations for military medical facilities in the Western Pacific.
• Limited access to subspecialty care necessitates innovative solutions for pediatric patients within the Military Health System.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utilization of the PATH system for pediatric cases.
• To assess the impact of PATH on patient transfers and associated cost avoidance.
• To determine the effectiveness of asynchronous telemedicine in improving pediatric subspecialty access.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of PATH teleconsultations for pediatric patients (0-17 years) from March 2017 to February 2020.
• Review of survey responses from referring users regarding the impact on in-person referrals and travel.
• Estimation of cost avoidance using per diem and flight costs for Fiscal Year 2020.

Main Results:

• A total of 2,448 pediatric teleconsultations were recorded across 29 military medical facilities.
• Pediatric Pulmonology, Cardiology, and Neurology were the most frequent subspecialties consulted.
• Approximately 69.4% of survey respondents reported that PATH prevented unnecessary patient transfers, saving an estimated $3.3 million.

Conclusions:

• The PATH system demonstrates robust utilization by pediatric providers, leading to significant cost savings.
• Asynchronous telemedicine is a valuable tool for overcoming geographical barriers and travel restrictions to specialist care, particularly during health crises like pandemics.