Telehealth in Heart Failure Care during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Argentina

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Digital Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated virtual visits (VVs) as an alternative for heart failure (HF) management.
• Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of VVs in patients with HF, pulmonary hypertension (PH), and heart transplant (HT) was crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and patient acceptability of virtual visits (VVs) for managing complex cardiac conditions.
• To compare the need for diagnostic studies, in-person evaluations, and hospitalizations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A single-centre cohort study analyzed consecutive VVs in an HF unit.
• Data were compared between pre-COVID-19 (Jan 1-Mar 19) and during-COVID-19 (Mar 20-Jun 30) periods.
• Feasibility, acceptability, and clinical outcomes (diagnostic studies, in-person evaluation, hospitalization) were assessed.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in VVs was observed, from 22 pre-COVID to 416 during the pandemic.
• 90% of surveyed patients found VVs easy to conduct, and 95% rated the overall experience as very good or excellent (average 9.76/10).
• No significant differences were found in the need for diagnostic studies, in-person evaluations, or hospitalizations between the two periods.

Conclusions:

• Virtual visits are a feasible and highly acceptable modality for patients with HF, PH, and HT.
• VVs demonstrate a positive patient experience and can effectively complement traditional in-person care.
• This digital health approach proved valuable during the pandemic, maintaining care standards without increasing adverse clinical events.