Evaluating telemedicine for minor injuries units

Abstract

Low-cost telemedicine equipment consisting of ISDN videoconferencing units and a store-and-forward system was installed in two minor injuries units (MIUs) and a hospital accident and emergency department in Lincolnshire. Over six months, 45 patients were treated using telemedicine in one MIU and 26 in another. Anecdotally, there were no reported radiograph discrepancies or missed diagnoses. Data collected during teleconsultations by both referring and consulting clinicians suggested that in some cases teleconsultation had helped to avoid transfer or onward referral. There were some changes in diagnosis and treatment after using telemedicine, indicating some decision-making value for the remote practitioners. In the context of minor injuries telemedicine, videoconferencing in realtime may prove to be more valuable than store-and-forward interactions. A cost-benefit analysis is being conducted using a pragmatic prospective case-control study.