Teletriage pilot study (Strategy for Unscheduled Teleconsultations): Results, patient acceptance and satisfaction

FRID, ANDRÉS SANTIAGO; RATTI, MARÍA FLORENCIA GRANDE; PEDRETTI, ANA; VALINOTI, MARINA; MARTÍNEZ, BERNARDO; SOMMER, JANINE; LUNA, DANIEL; PLAZZOTTA, FERNANDO

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

IOS Press

Año: 2020 vol. 270 p. 776 - 780

0926-9630

Non-urgent consultations to an Emergency Department (ED) contribute to overcrowding. Telecommunications represent a potential strategy to reduce some face-to-face consultations. Objectives: To describe characteristics of patients who used the Teletriage Program during the pilot study, to explore safety and to report user acceptance and satisfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional study, including all adult patients affiliated to our health insurance attended to via this telemedicine service between January 18th and May 31st, 2019 (during pilot-study). Patients were followed-up for seven days to assess re-consultation to ED or unscheduled hospitalization. Results: 276 effective consultations occurred, corresponding to 241 patients, with a mean of age of 50 years, 68% (189) were women. Chief complaints were related to clinical issues (70%) and remaining (30%) were administrative problems. Only four patients were suggested a referral or face-to-face assessment. Rate of re-consultation to the ED was 18% (51) at seven days of follow-up, and the rate of unscheduled hospitalization was