Accuracy of Clinical Assessments with Virtual Care in Outpatient Neurological Setting

Virtual neurological assessments were increasingly used during the COVID-19 pandemic with relatively unknown accuracy. Clinical records were reviewed in a predominant multiple sclerosis outpatient clinic at an academic teaching hospital from March 23, 2020, to March 23, 2021. Patients assessed had an initial virtual assessment followed by a subsequent in-person evaluation. Among 1036 patients analyzed, 27.8% (n = 288) of consultations were conducted via video teleconferencing and 72.2% (n = 748) via telephone. Overall, 86.2% of the consultations revealed congruent conclusions between virtual and in-person assessments. However, 13.8% (n = 143) of virtual consultations revealed clinical disparities, including 13.5% (n = 39) video and 13.9% (n = 104) telephone.