Patient Communication and Consultation Experience with Telemedicine in Patients with Movement Dısorders in COVID-19 Pandemic: Its Usability, Benefits and Problems
Open Access
- 31 December 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Turk Noroloji Dernegi in Türk Nöroloi Dergisi
- Vol. 27 (1(supple)), 9-14
- https://doi.org/10.4274/tnd.2021.69851
Abstract
Objective: Access to health centers was restricted during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, which hit our country in March 2020. Ensuring the medical control of patients who were followed up in the neurology outpatient clinic with the tele-medicine method was an important step to decrease the viral load of patients and physicians. This study aimed to share our tele-medicine experience with patients with movement disorders. Materials and Methods: The data of 71 patients with movement disorder who communicated with our unit between March 11, 2020 and June 20, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 117 verbal and written interviews with 71 patients were mostly conducted via WhatsApp (R). The evaluation of reasons for physician consultation revealed that patients most frequently communicated for worsening rigidity and prescription-drug requests. Of these interviews, 25 (21.4%) resulted in setting patient appointments for a physical examination. The tele-medicine service in 92 (78.6%) interviews solved the problem without physical contact with patients. Conclusion: Movement disorder evaluations are suitable through teleconference. Therefore, our teleneurology application, which we actively use, is effective in reducing the risk of viral transmission to both patients and healthcare workers during the pandemic. Developing telemedical applications is necessary in terms of their legal aspects and implementation in the world, especially in our country.Keywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- Remote telemedicine evaluation of deep brain stimulation candidacyNeurology Clinical Practice, 2020
- Reliability, feasibility and satisfaction of telemedicine evaluations for cervical dystoniaJournal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2019
- The Promise of Telemedicine for Movement Disorders: an Interdisciplinary ApproachCurrent Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 2018
- Multilingual Website and Cyberconsultations for Oromandibular DystoniaNeurology International, 2018
- Physicians' perceptions on the impact of telemedicine on recruitment and retention in underserved areas: a descriptive study in Senegal.Human Resources for Health, 2017
- Remotely Programmed Deep Brain Stimulation of the Bilateral Subthalamic Nucleus for the Treatment of Primary Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Deep Brain Stimulation SystemStereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, 2017
- Prospective study on cost-effectiveness of home-based motor assessment in Parkinson’s diseaseJournal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2016
- Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of “Virtual House Calls” for Parkinson DiseaseJAMA Neurology, 2013
- Potential reliability and validity of a modified version of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale that could be administered remotelyParkinsonism & Related Disorders, 2012
- Increasing access to specialty care: A pilot, randomized controlled trial of telemedicine for Parkinson's diseaseMovement Disorders, 2010