Evolving migraine management: Lithuania's telemedicine experience

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Digital Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted telemedicine's potential in managing chronic conditions like migraine.
• Telemedicine offers a flexible alternative for healthcare delivery, especially for patients with mobility or geographical constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess Lithuanian patients' experiences with telemedicine for headache management.
• To identify barriers and facilitators influencing the broader adoption of telemedicine in migraine care.

Main Methods:

• A nationwide online survey was conducted in 2023 among migraine patients in Lithuania.
• The survey collected data on demographics, migraine characteristics, prior teleconsultation experiences, and preferences for future consultations.

Main Results:

• 35.2% of 847 respondents had prior teleconsultations, with 26.2% seeing a general practitioner (GP) and 17.0% a neurologist.
• Teleconsultations were effective for treatment continuation (84.7% with GPs, 83.3% with neurologists) and initiating new acute medications.
• Key barriers to remote neurology consultations included lack of inquiry (69.7%) and neurologist unavailability (18.1%). Patients preferred a mixed-mode approach (67.3%) for future care.

Conclusions:

• Telemedicine is a valuable tool for effective migraine management in Lithuania, but its utilization is currently limited.
• Significant barriers hinder wider telemedicine adoption, necessitating strategies to address these challenges.
• A hybrid model, integrating both in-person and remote consultations, is the preferred future model for migraine patient care.