Teleconsultation in family medicine amid the Covid-19 pandemic: An adequate tool? - 17/06/22
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Highlights |
• | The accuracy and reliability of clinical signs described through telemedicine, especially in the context of respiratory infections, have never been established. |
• | Our study shows an absence of concordance between the 5 main clinical signs of suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection (fever, dyspnea, cough, anosmia, and flu-like illness) reported through telemedicine and those seen through a face-to-face consultation. |
• | Use of telemedicine for infectious disease management may be inefficient. Adequate tools are required to improve its utilization. |
Abstract |
Introduction |
Teleconsultation is an emerging tool whose utilization dramatically increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our aim was to determine its clinical accuracy.
Methods |
This prospective study was carried out during the first wave of Covid-19. Patients were teleconsulted by either general practitioners or emergency doctors reporting clinical exam results to the ID physicians by phone. Five signs were specifically checked: dyspnea, fever, cough, anosmia and flu-like illness. Data collected by remote consultation were compared to face-to-face examination in an ID Department.
Results |
From March to April 2020, 149 patients were seen by remote medical care. Dyspnea was found in 14.1% of the teleconsultation patients vs 3.4% in face-to-face consultation; fever in 47.0 vs. 15.4%; cough in 69.1 vs. 16.1%; anosmia in 3.4 vs. 1.3%; flu-like illness in 53.0 vs. 7.4% (all differences significant: P<0.001).
Conclusion |
We observed incongruency between remote and face-to-face consultation for the main clinical signs of Covid-19.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Covid-19, Teleconsultation, Family practice, Emergency, Diagnostic accuracy
Plan
Vol 52 - N° 4
P. 230-232 - juin 2022 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
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