Telemedicine in paediatric otorhinolaryngology: Lessons learnt from remote encounters during the Covid19 pandemic and implications for future practice

Abstract

Introduction: Covid19 has necessitated new methods of conducting outpatient consultations. At our institute, patient-facing paediatric ENT appointments were replaced with telemedical consultations.

Method: We performed a prospective analysis of the outcomes following telephone consultations with parents and describe our experience of remote consulting during a pandemic, and the possibilities for future applications of telemedicine in paediatric ENT.

Results: 215 patients were appropriately referred to the paediatric ENT clinic, 65% of these patients were deemed suitable for remote telephone consultation. Following a telephone call, 50% did not need further ENT clinic management, most commonly due to being listed for surgery (20%) or discharged (18%). The treating consultant assessed 81% of phone consultations as being effective. When given the choice, patients reported that 29% would choose a telephone consultation whilst 43% preferred a face to face consultation.

Conclusion: Our experience has shown that there are areas of paediatric ENT that can be streamlined effectively by substituting face to face consultations with telephone consultations. However, prospective evaluation of these remote contacts suggest that telephone consultations are not a panacea and cannot be indiscriminately applied to all. Instead, the strategies to take forwards into a post Covid19 practice are vetting of referrals, individualised treatment plans, and giving patients a choice.

Keywords: Authors confirm there are no conflicts of interest; Covid19; Paediatric otolaryngology; Telemedicine.