Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T13:03:55.292Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Telephone clinic outcomes during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: results from an ENT department

Part of: JLO Coronavirus Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2021

S Mallick ,
R Balakumar  and
A Drysdale
S Mallick*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton, UK
R Balakumar
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton, UK
A Drysdale
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Sohaib Mallick, ENT Secretaries, Musgrove Park Hospital, Parkfield Drive, TauntonTA1 5DA, UK E-mail: sohaibmallick21@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

To study the impact of telemedicine on patient outcomes during a nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted to examine telemedicine consultations of newly referred patients over 7 days during a national lockdown. Overall outcomes of telephone clinics were recorded, measured as either patient discharged, imaging requested, patient referred to another specialty, further telephone follow up required, patient initiated follow up or face-to-face appointment required.

Results

Data were collected from 104 patients. Outcomes showed that 17 patients were discharged, 15 had imaging requested, 11 were referred to another specialty, 11 had further telemedicine appointments, 31 had patient-initiated follow up and 19 received face-to-face appointments. Overall, 57 per cent of patients avoided hospital visits and 17 per cent required face-to-face appointments. Of higher risk patients, 49 per cent were managed remotely. After eight months, no significant morbidity or mortality was reported.

Conclusion

Almost half of the higher risk patients avoided a hospital visit. The majority of patients were managed remotely, and thus the risk and spread of infection were reduced. Telemedicine has an important role in ENT out-patients.

Keywords

COVID-19TelemedicineOutpatientsRetrospective Studies
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 136 , Issue 7 , July 2022 , pp. 611 - 614
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Dr S Mallick takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

Thunström, L, Newbold, SC, Finnoff, D, Ashworth, M, Shogren, JF. The benefits and costs of using social distancing to flatten the curve for COVID-19. J Benefit Cost Anal 2020;11:179–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blandford, A, Wesson, J, Amalberti, R, AlHazme, R, Allwihan, R. Opportunities and challenges for telehealth within, and beyond, a pandemic. Lancet Glob Health 2020;8:e1364–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bokolo, AJ. Exploring the adoption of telemedicine and virtual software for care of outpatients during and after COVID-19 pandemic. Ir J Med Sci 2021;190:1–10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NHS. Next Steps on NHS Response to COVID-19. In: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/20200317-NHS-COVID-letter-FINAL.pdf [15 November 2020]Google Scholar
Vukkadala, N, Qian, ZJ, Holsinger, FC, Patel, ZM, Rosenthal, E. COVID-19 and the otolaryngologist: preliminary evidence-based review. Laryngoscope 2020;130:2537–43CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zou, L, Ruan, F, Huang, M, Liang, L, Huang, H, Hong, Z et al. SARS-CoV-2 viral load in upper respiratory specimens of infected patients. N Engl J Med 2020;382:1177–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ENT UK. Guidance for ENT during the COVID-19 pandemic. In: https://www.entuk.org/guidance-ent-during-covid-19-pandemic [15 May 2021]Google Scholar
NHS. People at higher risk from coronavirus (COVID-19). In: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/ [15 February 2021]Google Scholar
González, MD, Pérez, FM, Vivancos, LG, Iñiguez, LG, Maquilón, AJ, Alonso, JA. Management of the ENT consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic alert. Are ENT telephone consultations useful? Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp (Engl Ed) 2021;72:190–4Google Scholar
Smith, AC, Thomas, E, Snoswell, CL, Haydon, H, Mehrotra, A, Clemensen, J et al. Telehealth for global emergencies: implications for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). J Telemed Telecare 2020;26:309–13CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, VW, Imam, SA, Nguyen, SA. Telehealth in the times of SARS-CoV-2 infection for the otolaryngologist. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020;6(suppl 1):S49–53CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fieux, M, Duret, S, Bawazeer, N, Denoix, L, Zaouche, S, Tringali, S. Telemedicine for ENT: effect on quality of care during Covid-19 pandemic. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2020;137:257–61CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ning, AY, Cabrera, CI, D'Anza, B. Telemedicine in otolaryngology: a systematic review of image quality, diagnostic concordance, and patient and provider satisfaction. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2021;130:195–204CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jennings, N, Rao, M. Towards a carbon neutral NHS. BMJ 2020;371:m3884CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Balakumar, R, Mirza, S. Reducing the follow-up rates over three consecutive specialist registrar trainees placements. Clin Otolaryngol 2015;6:715–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lo, S, Fergie, N, Walker, C, Narula, AA. What is the impact of consultant supervision on outpatient follow-up rate? Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 2004;29:119–23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lo, S, Eze, N, Jonathan, DA. The effect of consultant-led interactive pre-clinic case note review on follow-up rates of an otology outpatient clinic. Int J Clin Pract 2005;59:256–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed