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. 2020 Jul;60(1):e12-e14.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.03.019. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Telemedicine in the Time of Coronavirus

Brook Calton  1 , Nauzley Abedini  2 , Michael Fratkin  3
Affiliations

Telemedicine in the Time of Coronavirus

Brook Calton et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Within weeks, COVID-19 has transformed our practice of palliative care and clinical medicine as we know it. Telemedicine has emerged as a critical technology to bring medical care to patients while attempting to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among patients, families, and clinicians. It is also increasingly necessary to preserve scarce resources like personal protective equipment. In this article, we share just-in-time tips to support palliative care clinicians and program leaders in providing the best care possible by telemedicine. These quick, practical tips cover telemedicine setup, patient considerations, and clinician considerations. Next steps include ensuring equitable access to affordable telemedicine technology for vulnerable populations through creative solutions and financing, and dedicated attention to telemedicine evaluation and quality improvement.

Keywords: COVID-19; Telemedicine; coronavirus; telehealth; video visits.

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References

    1. Calton B.A., Rabow M.W., Branagan L. Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about telepalliative care. J Palliat Med. 2019;22:981–985. - PubMed
    1. American Telemedicine Association (ATA) Policy update, 3.17.20. 2020. https://info.americantelemed.org/covid-19-cms-hhs-dea-updates-3-17-20 Available from.
    1. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare telemedicine healthcare provider fact sheet. 2020. www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provi... Available from.

Recommended Resources to Learn More

    1. American College of Physicians “Telemedicine: A Practical Guide for Incorporation Into Your Practice” Free On-Line CME. www.acponline.org/cme-moc/online-learning-center/telemedicine-a-practica... Available from. Accessed March 22, 2020.
    1. American Telemedicine Association (ATA) www.americantelemed.org/ Available from. Accessed March 22, 2020.
    1. Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) Covid-19 Response Resources. www.capc.org/toolkits/covid-19-response-resources/ Available from. Accessed March 22, 2020.
    1. Center for Connected Health Policy. https://www.cchpca.org/ Available from. Accessed March 22, 2020.

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