CAMERA: A Consensus Study to Ascertain Minimum Datasets for Ear Remote Assessments

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Remote healthcare offers improved access and quality of care.
• Advancements in technology and the pandemic accelerated remote ear, nose, and throat (ENT) services.
• A need exists for defining essential data for accurate remote diagnosis in ENT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a consensus on the minimum dataset required for effective remote ear assessment.
• To address the uncertainty surrounding data needs for remote diagnosis in otology and audiology.

Main Methods:

• A three-round Delphi process involving a multidisciplinary panel of experts.
• Literature review to identify candidate data items for the Delphi process.
• Consensus meeting to analyze and organize findings for dissemination.

Main Results:

• Thirty-four multi-disciplinary experts from over 16 UK centers participated.
• An average response rate of 94% was achieved across the three Delphi rounds.
• A consensus essential dataset for remote ear assessment was identified.

Conclusions:

• The developed dataset provides a foundation for effective remote ear assessments.
• Implementing remote assessment can alleviate pressure on healthcare systems with high waiting lists.
• This standardized dataset can facilitate service redesign, research, and auditing of remote ear services.