Telehealth - A Clinical Practice Initiative in Pediatrics

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Telehealth
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Pediatric gastroenterology centers face high referral volumes from primary health care (PHC) for diagnostic and management clarification.
• Inefficiencies in the referral process can lead to delays in specialist care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a telehealth program connecting PHC pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) with tertiary pediatric gastroenterologists.
• To assess the impact of virtual consultations on patient management and access to specialized care.

Main Methods:

• A telehealth program facilitated weekly virtual meetings between PHC PNPs and a tertiary pediatric gastroenterology team.
• Data from 121 referred patients were discussed over a four-month period.
• PNPs were central to managing diagnostic methods, treatment, and follow-up.

Main Results:

• 55% of patients successfully scheduled timely appointments at the tertiary outpatient clinic.
• 20% of patients were managed at the PHC level based on virtual specialist recommendations.
• 25% of referral forms required clarification, highlighting communication needs.

Conclusions:

• The telehealth program effectively bridged primary and tertiary care, enhancing patient care coordination.
• Virtual consultations reduced waiting times for specialist assessments and improved care efficiency.
• The program facilitated online therapeutic orientation for a significant portion of referred patients.