Use of telemedicine within emergency department to improve performance
Telemedicine Impact on Emergency Department Performance
Summary
The use of telemedicine within the ED helps leverage care to remotely monitor and treat patients beyond single teleconsultations
4 Key areas to improve ED performance should evaluate Process; Cost; Clinical Outcomes and Satisfaction.
Initial telemonitoring and telemedicine ED approaches shows promise in improving care, but further evaluations of clinical validation are needed.
Background
Current telemedicine applications encompass a broad span of practice areas and continue to expand with innovative approaches at an ever increasing frequency. Over the past 2 decades the emergency department (ED) has continued to provide care in an ever overcrowding environment.
ED performance is assessed via 3 areas defined as: Input; Throughput; and Output. Incorporation of telemedicine into the ED via clinical support systems and health information technology are being increasingly demonstrated as a useful intervention to improve ED performance.
Review
The 4 key areas of ED performance typically addressed are:
A variety of factors are involved in the adoption of any program to impact performance, due to the EDs complex nature. Although potentially a challenging task, evidence is evolving. Telemonitoring and telemedicine is demonstrating a positive impact in many areas other than remote consultations.
ED Telemedicine Results
Conclusions
Telemedicine support for ED is showing significant impact, but is still lacking robust evidence of significant improved patient outcomes.
Advances in technology and clinical models need to evaluate the key areas of performance improvement listed above.