Telemedicine for headache follow-up: feasibility, clinical outcomes, and patient-reported experience from a...

Telemedicine has emerged as a promising platform in neurology, particularly for facilitating teleconsultations. However, its role in headache management remains largely unexamined, requiring further investigation to assess patient satisfaction, implementation feasibility, and perceived therapeutic benefits.

We conducted a prospective observational study at the Headache Outpatient Clinic of the A. O. U. of Foggia, enrolling 45 patients with primary headache. Each participant completed two virtual teleconsultations (4-8 weeks apart) using the PHASE platform. After each visit, patients completed a validated 20-item questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.92) assessing usability, communication quality, and perceived benefits. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, inferential tests, correlation analyses, and effect-size estimates.

All patients completed both teleconsultations. Overall satisfaction was very high (mean >9/10 for both visits), with more than 90% of participants reporting a positive experience. Ease of use reached an average of 6/7, showing significant improvement from T1 to T2. Over 85% of participants reported tangible savings in both time and costs. Willingness to repeat the teleconsultations was also high (~6.7/7) with further increases observed at the second follow-up. Correlation analyses revealed strong associations between patient satisfaction, time savings, and willingness to continue using telemedicine. Effect-size estimates consistently confirmed positive perceptions, suggesting a ceiling effect. Reported limitations were minor and related mainly to occasional technical issues and the inability to perform a full neurological examination.

A structured telemedicine protocol for headache follow-up proved feasibility, effectiveness, and high patient acceptability. Teleconsultations enhanced the perceived quality of care and optimized efficient resource utilization, supporting their integration into routine neurological follow-up. Further validation through larger multicenter studies is needed to confirm these findings and expand the available evidence.