Video Otoscopy as a Novel Teaching and Remote Otolaryngology Consultation Tool at an Academic Medical Center

Assess the use of video otoscopy (VO) as a tool for teaching Emergency Department (ED) residents and remote Otolaryngology consultation.

Survey and retrospective chart review.

Tertiary care center.

Emergency Medicine resident physicians completed an otologic skill self-assessment and pathology followed by an interactive training on VO and postintervention assessment after 9 months of use. Outcomes compared change in pre- to posttraining scores. ED consultations using VO during this time period were reviewed to detect differences between the presumed diagnosis/treatment based only on phone consultation and VO image compared to the final diagnosis/treatment after in-person Otolaryngology consultation.

Forty-six (63.1%) ED residents participated. Diagnostic accuracy improved by 20.7% overall. The most improved diagnoses were of a normal ear canal (+75%), tympanosclerosis (+58.4%), and ear canal foreign body (+57.1%); most challenging were external auditory canal cyst (-13.6%), hemotympanum (-11.3%), and cerumen (-1.9%). Cholesteatoma did not improve because all responses were incorrect; neither did tympanic membrane perforation because all were correct. Confidence in the otologic exam and anatomy also increased (P < .01). Thirteen consults used VO and 3 (23.1%) had a change in diagnosis/treatment after in-person Otolaryngology evaluation.

Training on the use of VO significantly improves the confidence and diagnostic skills of ED providers for many pathologies. This application suggests the efficacy of an otologic e-consultation model.