Abstract
Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to global healthcare. Face-to-face outpatient care was dramatically reduced. This study implemented a Remote Consultation (RC) service via mobile app (PEXIP) to monitor patients with major congenital heart disease.
Design: Study design was quasi-experimental and prospective.
Setting: RCs were carried out at a tertiary paediatric cardiology Centre in Northern Ireland.
Patients: Children with major congenital heart disease (CHD) aged 0-16years in Northern Ireland
Intervention: The intervention was a PEXIP enabled RC.
Outcome measures: Primary outcome measures included the number of attendances to hospital both initiated and avoided via RC. RCs were conducted by doctor and/or Cardiac specialist nurse, or by Specialist nurse alone (52% vs 48%)
Results: 32 patients enrolled; 3 were non-responders and a further 2 excluded. 201 RCs were delivered (mean = 7.4). There were 12 admissions to hospital resulting from the RC; the commonest indication was abnormal oxygen saturations (42%). 38 hospital attendances were avoided; predominantly related to infant feeding and medication advice (both 42%).
Conclusions: A significant number of unnecessary hospital attendances were avoided (n=38). Remote consultation technology proved a user friendly and valuable adjunct to the provision of ongoing specialist patient care in challenging circumstances. There was a reduction in parental anxiety and both parents and clinicians found this initiative beneficial to patient care. There was prompt identification of unwell children on RCs.
Design: Study design was quasi-experimental and prospective.
Setting: RCs were carried out at a tertiary paediatric cardiology Centre in Northern Ireland.
Patients: Children with major congenital heart disease (CHD) aged 0-16years in Northern Ireland
Intervention: The intervention was a PEXIP enabled RC.
Outcome measures: Primary outcome measures included the number of attendances to hospital both initiated and avoided via RC. RCs were conducted by doctor and/or Cardiac specialist nurse, or by Specialist nurse alone (52% vs 48%)
Results: 32 patients enrolled; 3 were non-responders and a further 2 excluded. 201 RCs were delivered (mean = 7.4). There were 12 admissions to hospital resulting from the RC; the commonest indication was abnormal oxygen saturations (42%). 38 hospital attendances were avoided; predominantly related to infant feeding and medication advice (both 42%).
Conclusions: A significant number of unnecessary hospital attendances were avoided (n=38). Remote consultation technology proved a user friendly and valuable adjunct to the provision of ongoing specialist patient care in challenging circumstances. There was a reduction in parental anxiety and both parents and clinicians found this initiative beneficial to patient care. There was prompt identification of unwell children on RCs.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Cardiology in the Young |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 7 Aug 2024 |
Keywords
- paediatric cardiology
- remote consultation