G67(P) Improving care of LTV children: virtual clinics. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hickey, H; Neupane, B; Mogford, L; Elkington, B; Calvert, K; Jain, K; Ahmed, MI
• Is Part Of: Archives of disease in childhood. Volume 104:(2019)Supplement 2
• Page Start: A28
• Page End: A28
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: Children -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-rcpch.66
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-9888

Abstract

Abstract : Introduction: The paediatric long-term ventilation (LTV) team is responsible for the care of 231 children, 75 of these children are having long-term ventilation including invasive tracheostomy ventilation and non-invasive mask ventilation. Our cohort of children benefit from regular reviews aimed at prevention of infection and keeping them healthy. Due to their underlying issues, it is difficult for parents to bring them to hospital frequently. We therefore started virtual clinics to review these children. Virtual clinics are booked clinics where the patients do not attend in person. We take referrals from our community team and neighboring trusts. Our LTV multidisciplinary team that includes respiratory consultants and trainees, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, psychologist, admin and speech therapists, attends these clinics. Aims: The aim of this study was to review the working of virtual clinic and the parental and staff satisfaction following its introduction. Methods: We reviewed our data from the virtual clinic over 12 months (September 2015- September 2016). Data on parental and staff satisfaction were collated. Results: 272 patients were reviewed during this period in weekly virtual clinic that were conducted over a 2 hour period every Wednesday morning. Up to 10 children were reviewed during each virtual clinic. These reviews included review of recent microbiology, results of recent sleep studies and decision on weaning home oxygen and reviews of respiratory emergency management plans. Children were also discharged sooner from the hospital with the provision of follow up in virtual clinic, thereby helping reducing the length of stay. All the virtual clinic reviews were discussed with parents. There was improved staff and parental satisfaction following the introduction of virtual clinic. Conclusion: Virtual clinic helps in timely reviews of our paediatric LTV cohort without these children having to travel to the hospital. This reduced the pressure on our outpatient waiting lists, prevented hospital admissions and helped in reducing the length of stay. Virtual clinics are a cost effective way of providing patient care for children with complex respiratory problems. The virtual clinic helped the LTV team to better manage children in the community and this improved both parental and staff satisfaction