Quality of care for remote orthopaedic consultations using telemedicine: a randomised controlled trial.
Source: Buvik et al. 2016 - Pubmed ID: 27608768
Setting: Norway, University hospital
RCT
Follow up: 12 months after the final consultation
Sample size:
Total: 402 (389)
IG: 199 (144)
CG: 190 (143)
Inclusion criteria:
- Orthopedic patients
Video consultations (Cisco TelePresence System and digitalized radiography)
- Data transfer of X-rays
- Monitoring:
– Wounds
– Progress
– Treatment
Intervention: Consultation between nurse and patient at a remote location and an orthopedic surgeon at the clinic. Orthopedic surgeon and radiologist registers in the records. Surgeon navigates the camera to see wound or moving abilities. X-rays taken at the remote clinic
Duration: 2 weeks after surgery to last consultation
Add on: NA
Control group: Usual care
Clinical effect:
- Specialist evaluation (sum of score)↓
- Complication→
- Number of consultations/patient→
- Operations→
- Referred again→
- Consultation duration→
Patient safety: NA
Patient experience: NA
Staff experience:
- Cooperation→
- Information→
- Examination/evaluation↑
- Treatment↑
- Overall consultation evaluation↑
- Single consultation evaluation→
Investment:
Equipment
- Cisco TelePresence System
- Extra computer and printer at the center
Staff
- 5 orthopedic surgeon trained in technical assistance
- 2 nurses from the remote clinic trained in technical equipment and clinical examination
Running:
Staff
- Remote consultation
- Clinical diagnosis
- Technical support
Organization:
- Development of new skills
- Collaboration between hospital and primary care
Health care utilization: NA