Researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC found physicians in Latin American countries were highly satisfied with pediatric cardiology telemedicine services, according to a study in Telemedicine and e-Health.
Physicians from the Heart Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC offered telemedicine services to four hospitals in Latin America. Within the study period, 1,040 consultations were conducted for 476 patients. In 23 percent of the telemedicine encounters, a real-time intervention was conducted, such as echocardiography, adjusting pacemaker settings and pharmacologic therapy, according to a news release.
Researchers sent satisfaction surveys to Latin American physicians to observe their satisfaction and experience with the cardiology telemedicine.
The vast majority of respondents — 96 percent — said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the telemedicine services, and 58 percent said the promptness and time dedicated by the tele-intensivist was "very high," according to the study. Additionally, respondents indicated they found telemedicine useful in improving patient outcome and education, though remote physicians were more likely to feel telemedicine interrupted daily workflow activities, according to the study.
"We know that telemedicine-assisted pediatric cardiac critical care is technologically and logistically feasible in the international arena," said Ricardo Muñoz, MD, chief of the cardiac intensive care division at Children's and lead author of the study, in the news release. "And now we know that the physicians we assist internationally consider this technology to be useful for patient outcomes and education. With continuing improvements in telemedicine technology and our own practices, we will continue to expand access to the world's best healthcare for children around the world."
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