PDF herunterladen
CC BY 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2024; 28(04): e592-e596
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1786385
Original Research

Assessment of the Use of Telemedicine by Brazilian Otolaryngologists through an Online Questionnaire

Alexandre Wady Debes Felippu 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
,
Thiago Picolli Morsch 
2   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Instituto Felippu, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
,
Deusdedit Brandão Neto 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
,
Eduarda Montenegro Moretti 
2   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Instituto Felippu, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
,
André Wady Debes Felippu 
2   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Instituto Felippu, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
,
Filippo Cascio 
3   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Azienda Ospedaliera Papardo, Messina, Italy
,
Richard Louis Voegels 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
› Institutsangaben Funding The authors declare that they have received no funding from agencies in the public, private or non-profit sectors for the conduction of the present study.
› Weitere Informationen
Auch verfügbar auf
   Lizenzen und Reprints

Abstract

Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted a transformation in medical practice, including the adoption of telemedicine in Brazil and globally. Otorhinolaryngology, a field at high risk of viral transmission, has witnessed an increasing use of telemedicine tools. However, the extent and challenges of telemedicine in this field in Brazil are not well understood. In the present study, we applied a questionnaire to Brazilian otorhinolaryngologists during the pandemic to assess telemedicine's advantages and challenges, shedding light on its integration and persistent issues in the field.

Objective To assess the usage profile of telemedicine in the clinical practice of otolaryngology in Brazil.

Methods The present was a cross-sectional observational study with convenience sampling. It was conducted as a web-based questionnaire distributed and advertised to Brazilian otorhinolaryngologists through social media posts on WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA), Instagram (Meta Platforms, Inc.), Facebook (Meta Platforms, Inc.), as well as direct messaging and email.

Results The sample size was 186 participants. A total of 69% of them had already provided or were currently providing telemedicine services, and 34% considered it a frequent or very frequent form of work at the time of data collection. In total, 90% of the respondents considered the lack of physical examination a problem in otolaryngological teleconsultations, while 64% reported frequently or very frequently resolving patient problems through teleconsultations.

Conclusion Telemedicine emerged in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as a promising tool for remote patient care. More studies are needed to elucidate its role in the context of limited physical examination.

Keywords

telemedicine - COVID-19 - otorhinolaryngology - technology


Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 31. Oktober 2023

Angenommen: 19. März 2024

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
25. Mai 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil

 

  • References

  • 1 Olson CA, Thomas JF. Telehealth: No Longer an Idea for the Future. Adv Pediatr 2017; 64 (01) 347-370
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 2 Calton B, Abedini N, Fratkin M. Telemedicine in the Time of Coronavirus. J Pain Symptom Manage 2020; 60 (01) e12-e14
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 3 Bhaskar S, Bradley S, Chattu VK. et al. Telemedicine as the New Outpatient Clinic Gone Digital: Position Paper From the Pandemic Health System REsilience PROGRAM (REPROGRAM) International Consortium - Part 2. Front Public Health 2020; 8: 556924
    Suche in Google Scholar
  • 4 Setzen M, Svider PF, Pollock K. COVID-19 and rhinology: A look at the future. Am J Otolaryngol 2020; 41 (03) 102491
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 5 Pollock K, Setzen M, Svider PF. Embracing telemedicine into your otolaryngology practice amid the COVID-19 crisis: An invited commentary. Am J Otolaryngol 2020; 41 (03) 102490
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 6 McCool RR, Davies L. Where Does Telemedicine Fit into Otolaryngology? An Assessment of Telemedicine Eligibility among Otolaryngology Diagnoses. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018; 158 (04) 641-644
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 7 Weinstein RS, Lopez AM, Joseph BA. et al. Telemedicine, telehealth, and mobile health applications that work: opportunities and barriers. Am J Med 2014; 127 (03) 183-187
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 8 Singh AK, Kasle DA, Jiang R. et al. A Review of Telemedicine Applications in Otorhinolaryngology: Considerations During the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 Pandemic. Laryngoscope 2020; 130 (11) 2577-2584
    Suche in Google Scholar
  • 9 Zou L, Ruan F, Huang M. et al. SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Upper Respiratory Specimens of Infected Patients. N Engl J Med 2020; 382 (12) 1177-1179
    CrossrefPubMedSuche in Google Scholar
  • 10 Teixeira T, Sabo PH, Sabo IC. Whatsapp E a Criptografia Ponto-a-Ponto: Tendência Jurídica E O Conflito Privacidade Vs. Interesse Público. Rev da Fac Direito da UFMG 2017; 71: 607-638
    CrossrefSuche in Google Scholar