Dataset Information

Telemedicine Foot and Ankle Visits in the COVID-19 Era.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic created a difficult environment to provide musculoskeletal care to patients with foot and ankle pathology given the limitations placed on in-office visits. Telemedicine offered a unique avenue to reach these patients; however, the efficacy of telemedicine visits in patients with foot and ankle pathology is not well studied. We propose a telemedicine protocol that has allowed us to effectively see and treat patients with foot and ankle pathology.

Methods

A 12-step standardized telemedicine protocol was created within the Foot and Ankle division that was used for seeing patients through telemedicine. Also included in this is previsit preparation and follow-up recommendations. Press Ganey surveys were retrospectively reviewed to understand patient experience with telemedicine.

Results

85.2% of patients surveyed responded with scores indicating excellent care. When comparing patients who were seen in-office and through telemedicine, 89.2% and 83.4% responded with scores indicating excellent care, respectively (P = .37).

Conclusion

Telemedicine offers an effective and convenient way to provide excellent musculoskeletal care to patients affected with foot and ankle pathology. This is the first study that evaluated a comprehensive protocol for telemedicine encounters and can be used to implement telemedicine by others using this approach.

Level of evidence

Level V, expert opinion.

SUBMITTER: Labib SA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8702918 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundPrior to the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine (TM) experiences in undergraduate medical education were uncommon. When students' clinical experiences were interrupted due to the pandemic, TM education provided opportunities for students to participate in clinical care while adhering to social distancing guidelines.ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of TM experiences in the internal medicine (IM) core clerkship experience prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, during interruption in clinical clerkships, and following the return to in-person activities at US medical schools.DesignThe Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) survey is a national, annually recurring thematic survey of IM core clerkship directors. The 2020 survey focused on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a section about TM. The survey was fielded online from August through October 2020.ParticipantsA total of 137 core clinical medicine clerkship directors at Liaison Committee on Medical Education fully accredited US/US territory-based medical schools.Main measuresA 10-item thematic survey section assessing student participation in TM and assessment of TM-related competencies.Key resultsThe response rate was 73.7% (101/137 medical schools). No respondents reported TM curricular experiences prior to the pandemic. During clinical interruption, 39.3% of respondents reported TM experiences in the IM clerkship, whereas 24.7% reported such experiences occurring at the time they completed the survey. A higher percentage of clerkships with an ambulatory component reported TM to be an important competency compared to those without an ambulatory component.ConclusionsThe extent to which TM was used in the IM clinical clerkship, and across clinical clerkships, increased substantially when medical students were removed from in-person clinical duties as a response to COVID-19. When students returned to in-person clinical duties, experiences in TM continued, suggesting the continued value of TM as part of the formal education of students during the medicine clerkship. Curricula and faculty development will be needed to support TM education.