A review of paediatric telehealth for pre- and post-operative surgical patients. (October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Anthony C; Garner, Lisa; Caffery, Liam J; McBride, Craig A
• Is Part Of: Journal of telemedicine and telecare. Volume 20:Number 7(2014)
• Page Start: 400
• Page End: 404
• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Subjects: Telecommunication in medicine -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1177/1357633X14552373
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1357-633X

Abstract

The Queensland Telepaediatric Service (QTS) was established in the year 2000 to deliver a broad range of paediatric specialist health services from the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Brisbane, mainly via videoconference. During a 13-year study period, the QTS facilitated 18, 949 video consultations, comprising Mental Health (42%), Medicine (30%), Surgery (21%) and Other (8%). We reviewed the surgical services provided through the QTS. There were 3880 video consultations with a paediatric surgeon. Most of these (91%) used fixed videoconferencing units, 8% were delivered via mobile units (robots) and 1% were delivered using Skype. Surgical consultations were provided by telehealth to 106 sites: 89% in Queensland and the rest to other states. The main surgical specialties were burns (50%), ear, nose and throat (19%), general surgery (21%), orthopaedics (9%) and vascular anomalies (2%). During a 12-month audit period, there were 224 teleconsultations in general surgery; the most common reason for referral was for undescended testes (17%). During the study period there was a significant growth in all surgical telehealth activity: linear regression showed an annual increase of 17 cases per year ( P < 0.02). In the last four years of the study, there was a substantial growth in the general surgical component, although there was also a reduction in the burns component. Telehealth has potential for other specialist consultations which require periodic assessment and review.