Implementing Telemedicine in Clinical Practice in the First Digital Hematology Unit: Feasibility Study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Hematology
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Current telemedicine models lack full integration across all hematology subspecialties.
• A need exists for comprehensive digital solutions in hematology practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of implementing telemedicine in a clinical hematology setting.
• To propose an innovative, integrated design for a Digital Hematology Unit.
• To evaluate patient satisfaction and healthcare indicators within the new model.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of a dedicated Digital Hematology Unit for telemedicine and holistic patient monitoring.
• Implementation of patient satisfaction questionnaires.
• Measurement of key healthcare management indicators, including waiting times and interconsultation response times.

Main Results:

• In 2021, the unit managed 1331 new and 7534 follow-up visits.
• Telematic visits constituted 87.8% of new visits and 70.1% of follow-up visits.
• Healthcare indicators demonstrated <4-day wait times and <4-hour interconsultation responses, with high patient satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• The Digital Hematology Unit demonstrates a successful model for integrating digital solutions into hematology.
• This digital transformation, led by hematologists, enhances the quality and excellence of healthcare delivery.
• The findings support the scalability of this innovative telemedicine approach in hematology.