The use of telemedicine in COVID-19 pandemic era: a systematic review

Dwi Martha Nur Aditya; Viskasari Pintoko Kalanjati; Dimas Bathoro Bagus Pamungkas; Maya Rahmayanti Syamhadi; Jesslyn Angelina Soegiharto Wibowo; Kevin Muliawan Soetanto

The use of telemedicine in COVID-19 pandemic era: a systematic review

Dwi Martha Nur Aditya ,

Viskasari Pintoko Kalanjati ,

Dimas Bathoro Bagus Pamungkas ,

Maya Rahmayanti Syamhadi ,

Jesslyn Angelina Soegiharto Wibowo ,

Kevin Muliawan Soetanto ,

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Published: 2022-12-26

Abstract

Introduction: Telemedicine is a form of healthcare that uses technology to provide various health services. This method has been widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic when physical distancing is called. This systematic review aimed to review various uses of telemedicine on 11 databases using the PRISMA flowchart from January 1^st, 2020, to December 31^st, 2021.

Methods: This review has been registered in PROSPERO (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=269809). The search terms are: "COVID-19," "Coronavirus," "SARS-CoV-2," "2019-nCoV," "Telemedicine," "Telehealth," "Teleconsultation," "Telemonitoring," "Telemanagement," "Teleconferencing," "Video conferencing," "Video consultation," "Virtual care," "Virtual service," "Virtual treatment," "Remote treatment," "Remote service," "Remote consultation," "Digital care," "Digital treatment," "Mobile health," and "E-health." The quality assessment used indexed databases for the SCOPUS, Web of Science (ESCI), and PubMed (PMC and Medline).

Results: On initial scrutiny, 2.031.242 articles were obtained; after screening with inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 articles were included. Only 4 articles reported the use of telemedicine for respiratory-related diseases patients; 3 of these were COVID-19-related cases. Other 13 articles reported the use of telemedicine for admission, anamnesis, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, and monitoring purposes for non-respiratory-related diseases. Methods applied include voice calls, video conferences, and specific software on computers and smartphones. There were no significant differences between telemedicine and the face-to-face method, although the lack of health providers' presence has been complained about in the prior method.

Conclusion: From this review, telemedicine is a beneficial tool for delivering health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

Hsieh RKC, Hjelm NM, Lee JCK, Aldis JW. Telemedicine in China. Int J Med Inform. 2001;61(2–3):139–46.
Chittoria RK. Telemedicine for wound management. Indian J Plast Surg. 2012 May;45(02):412–7.
Stipa G, Gabbrielli F, Rabbito C, Di Lazzaro V, Amantini A, Grippo A, et al. The Italian technical/administrative recommendations for telemedicine in clinical neurophysiology. Neurol Sci. 2021;42(5):1923–31.
Kim JW, Lame M, Szalay L, Lefchak B, Johnsson B, Gogia K, et al. Telemedicine Surge for Pediatric Patients in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City. Telemed e-Health. 2021;00(00):1–6.
Alessi J, de Oliveira GB, Franco DW, Becker AS, Knijnik CP, Kobe GL, et al. Telehealth strategy to mitigate the negative psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Acta Diabetol. 2021 Jul;58(7):899–909.
Morisada M V., Hwang J, Gill AS, Wilson MD, Strong EB, Steele TO. Telemedicine, Patient Satisfaction, and Chronic Rhinosinusitis Care in the Era of COVID-19. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2021 Jul;35(4):494–9.
Phillips JC, Lord RW, Davis SW, Burton AA, Kirk JK. Comparing telehealth to traditional office visits for patient management in the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in a respiratory assessment clinic. J Telemed Telecare. 2021 Feb;1357633X2199019.
Garcia LM, Birckhead BJ, Krishnamurthy P, Sackman J, Mackey IG, Louis RG, et al. An 8-week self-administered at-home behavioral skills-based virtual reality program for chronic low back pain: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted during COVID-19. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(2).
Adly AS, Adly MS, Adly AS. Telemanagement of home-isolated COVID-19 patients using oxygen therapy with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and physical therapy techniques: Randomized clinical trial. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(4):1–13.
Ceccato F, Voltan G, Sabbadin C, Camozzi V, Merante Boschin I, Mian C, et al. Tele-medicine versus face-to-face consultation in Endocrine Outpatients Clinic during COVID-19 outbreak: a single-center experience during the lockdown period. J Endocrinol Invest. 2021;44(8):1689–98.
Kayser MZ, Valtin C, Greer M, Karow B, Fuge J, Gottlieb J. Video Consultation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single Center's Experience with Lung Transplant Recipients. Telemed e-Health. 2021;27(7):807–15.
Lopez-Villegas A, Maroto-Martin S, Baena-Lopez MA, Garzon-Miralles A, Bautista-Mesa RJ, Peiro S, et al. Telemedicine in Times of the Pandemic Produced by COVID-19: Implementation of a Teleconsultation Protocol in a Hospital Emergency Department. Healthcare. 2020 Sep;8(4):357.
Pasca L, Paola M, Grumi S, Totaro M, Ballante E, Varesio C, et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic in pediatric patients with epilepsy with neuropsychiatric comorbidities: A telemedicine evaluation. 2020;Epilepsy &(January).
Policarpo S, Machado M V., Cortez-Pinto H. Telemedicine as a tool for dietary intervention in NAFLD-HIV patients during the COVID-19 lockdown: A randomized controlled trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Jun;43:329–34.
Russo V, Cassini R, Caso V, Donno C, Laezza A, Naddei M, et al. Nursing Teleconsultation for the Outpatient Management of Patients with Cardiovascular Disease during COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb;18(4):2087.
Wu F, Rotimi O, Laza-Cagigas R, Rampal T. The Feasibility and Effects of a Telehealth-Delivered Home-Based Prehabilitation Program for Cancer Patients during the Pandemic. Curr Oncol. 2021 Jun;28(3):2248–59.
Zubarioglu T, Hopurcuoglu D, Uygur E, Ahmadzada S, Oge-Enver E, Isat E, et al. The Impact of Telemedicine for Monitoring and Treatment of Phenylketonuria Patients on Metabolic Outcome During Coronavirus Disease-19 Outbreak. Telemed e-Health. 2021;00(00):1–8.
Mansoor H, Khan SA, Afghani T, Assir MZ, Ali M, Khan WA. Utility of teleconsultation in accessing eye care in a developing country during COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One. 2021;16(January 1st):1–15.
Rastogi A, Hiteshi P, Anil Bhansali A, Jude EB. Virtual triage and outcomes of diabetic foot complications during Covid-19 pandemic: A retro-prospective, observational cohort study. PLoS One. 2021;16(May 5th):1–11.
M Tourkmani A, J ALHarbi T, Rsheed AMB, Alrasheedy AA, ALMadani W, ALJuraisi F, et al. The impact of telemedicine on patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia: Findings and implications. J Telemed Telecare. 2021;
Ashry AH, Alsawy MF. Doctor-patient distancing: an early experience of telemedicine for postoperative neurosurgical care in the time of COVID-19. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg. 2020 Dec;56(1):80.

[1] Hsieh RKC, Hjelm NM, Lee JCK, Aldis JW. Telemedicine in China. Int J Med Inform. 2001;61(2–3):139–46.

[2] Chittoria RK. Telemedicine for wound management. Indian J Plast Surg. 2012 May;45(02):412–7.

[3] Stipa G, Gabbrielli F, Rabbito C, Di Lazzaro V, Amantini A, Grippo A, et al. The Italian technical/administrative recommendations for telemedicine in clinical neurophysiology. Neurol Sci. 2021;42(5):1923–31.

[4] Kim JW, Lame M, Szalay L, Lefchak B, Johnsson B, Gogia K, et al. Telemedicine Surge for Pediatric Patients in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City. Telemed e-Health. 2021;00(00):1–6.

[5] Alessi J, de Oliveira GB, Franco DW, Becker AS, Knijnik CP, Kobe GL, et al. Telehealth strategy to mitigate the negative psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Acta Diabetol. 2021 Jul;58(7):899–909.

[6] Morisada M V., Hwang J, Gill AS, Wilson MD, Strong EB, Steele TO. Telemedicine, Patient Satisfaction, and Chronic Rhinosinusitis Care in the Era of COVID-19. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2021 Jul;35(4):494–9.

[7] Phillips JC, Lord RW, Davis SW, Burton AA, Kirk JK. Comparing telehealth to traditional office visits for patient management in the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in a respiratory assessment clinic. J Telemed Telecare. 2021 Feb;1357633X2199019.

[8] Garcia LM, Birckhead BJ, Krishnamurthy P, Sackman J, Mackey IG, Louis RG, et al. An 8-week self-administered at-home behavioral skills-based virtual reality program for chronic low back pain: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted during COVID-19. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(2).

[9] Adly AS, Adly MS, Adly AS. Telemanagement of home-isolated COVID-19 patients using oxygen therapy with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and physical therapy techniques: Randomized clinical trial. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(4):1–13.

[10] Ceccato F, Voltan G, Sabbadin C, Camozzi V, Merante Boschin I, Mian C, et al. Tele-medicine versus face-to-face consultation in Endocrine Outpatients Clinic during COVID-19 outbreak: a single-center experience during the lockdown period. J Endocrinol Invest. 2021;44(8):1689–98.

[11] Kayser MZ, Valtin C, Greer M, Karow B, Fuge J, Gottlieb J. Video Consultation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single Center's Experience with Lung Transplant Recipients. Telemed e-Health. 2021;27(7):807–15.

[12] Lopez-Villegas A, Maroto-Martin S, Baena-Lopez MA, Garzon-Miralles A, Bautista-Mesa RJ, Peiro S, et al. Telemedicine in Times of the Pandemic Produced by COVID-19: Implementation of a Teleconsultation Protocol in a Hospital Emergency Department. Healthcare. 2020 Sep;8(4):357.

[13] Pasca L, Paola M, Grumi S, Totaro M, Ballante E, Varesio C, et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic in pediatric patients with epilepsy with neuropsychiatric comorbidities: A telemedicine evaluation. 2020;Epilepsy &(January).

[14] Policarpo S, Machado M V., Cortez-Pinto H. Telemedicine as a tool for dietary intervention in NAFLD-HIV patients during the COVID-19 lockdown: A randomized controlled trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Jun;43:329–34.

[15] Russo V, Cassini R, Caso V, Donno C, Laezza A, Naddei M, et al. Nursing Teleconsultation for the Outpatient Management of Patients with Cardiovascular Disease during COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb;18(4):2087.

[16] Wu F, Rotimi O, Laza-Cagigas R, Rampal T. The Feasibility and Effects of a Telehealth-Delivered Home-Based Prehabilitation Program for Cancer Patients during the Pandemic. Curr Oncol. 2021 Jun;28(3):2248–59.

[17] Zubarioglu T, Hopurcuoglu D, Uygur E, Ahmadzada S, Oge-Enver E, Isat E, et al. The Impact of Telemedicine for Monitoring and Treatment of Phenylketonuria Patients on Metabolic Outcome During Coronavirus Disease-19 Outbreak. Telemed e-Health. 2021;00(00):1–8.

[18] Mansoor H, Khan SA, Afghani T, Assir MZ, Ali M, Khan WA. Utility of teleconsultation in accessing eye care in a developing country during COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One. 2021;16(January 1st):1–15.

[19] Rastogi A, Hiteshi P, Anil Bhansali A, Jude EB. Virtual triage and outcomes of diabetic foot complications during Covid-19 pandemic: A retro-prospective, observational cohort study. PLoS One. 2021;16(May 5th):1–11.

[20] M Tourkmani A, J ALHarbi T, Rsheed AMB, Alrasheedy AA, ALMadani W, ALJuraisi F, et al. The impact of telemedicine on patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia: Findings and implications. J Telemed Telecare. 2021;

[21] Ashry AH, Alsawy MF. Doctor-patient distancing: an early experience of telemedicine for postoperative neurosurgical care in the time of COVID-19. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg. 2020 Dec;56(1):80.

The use of telemedicine in COVID-19 pandemic era: a systematic review

Abstract

References

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