Pediatric Telemedicine Consults to Improve Access to Intensive Care in Rural Environments

Abstract

Recent advances in telehealth adoption prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the potential for improved intensive care outcomes through implementing pediatric telehealth in rural and remote settings. Telemedicine consults can be used in a variety of intensive care scenarios including procedural support, resuscitation, specialty consults, and transport. Telemedicine consults for pediatric care in rural environments improve access, cost-effectiveness, and family-centeredness. Challenges to adopting telemedicine consults for intensive care unit level care include issues around training, technology, resource allocation, and attention to how implementation exacerbate or improve health disparities.

Keywords: Consult; Neonatal; Pediatric; Rural; Technology; Telehealth; Telemedicine; Virtual.