Is Endometriosis Telemedicine Friendly?

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Telehealth
• Gynecology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare.
• Telemedicine's application in obstetrics and gynecology is relatively new compared to other specialties.
• Endometriosis management requires regular monitoring and patient interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of a telemedicine model for triaging endometriosis patients.
• To identify patients requiring in-person visits versus those manageable remotely during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Telephone consultations were conducted with endometriosis patients previously seen at a dedicated clinic.
• The primary outcome was the successful triage of patients into remote management or in-clinic visit categories.
• Study included 79 patients, with 55 participating in phone calls averaging 8.17 minutes.

Main Results:

• Of 55 participating patients, 46 (83.6%) were successfully managed via telemedicine.
• Nine patients (16.4%) required an in-clinic appointment.
• Patient queries focused on cervical screening, fertility preservation, and endometriosis treatment options.

Conclusions:

• Telemedicine is a feasible and effective tool for managing a significant portion of endometriosis patients.
• While not a replacement for in-clinic care, telemedicine offers considerable efficacy in patient management.
• The study highlights telemedicine's role in maintaining care continuity for chronic gynecological conditions.