Neuro-telehealth for fragile patients in a tertiary referral neurological institute during the COVID-19 pandemic in Milan, Lombardy.
COVID-19
Neuro-telehealth
Neurology
Telemedicine
Teleneurorehabilitation
Televisit
Journal
Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
ISSN: 1590-3478
Titre abrégé: Neurol Sci
Pays: Italy
ID NLM: 100959175
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jul 2021
Jul 2021
Historique:
received:
23
02
2021
accepted:
10
04
2021
pubmed:
1
5
2021
medline:
10
7
2021
entrez:
30
4
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Lombardy was severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic since February 2020 and the Health System underwent rapid reorganization. Outpatient clinics were stopped for non-urgent patients: it became a priority to manage hundreds of fragile neurological patients who suddenly had less reference points. In Italy, before the pandemic, Televisits were neither recognized nor priced. At the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, we reorganized outpatient clinics to deliver Neuro-telemedicine services, including Televisits and Teleneurorehabilitation, since March 2020. A dedicated Working Group prepared the procedure, tested the system, and designed satisfaction questionnaires for adults and children. After a pilot phase, we prepared a procedure for Telemedicine outpatient clinics which was approved by hospital directions. It included prescription, booking, consenting, privacy and data protection, secure connection with patients (Teams Microsoft 365), electronic report preparation and delivery, reporting, and accountability of the services. During the March-September 2020 period, we delivered 3167 Telemedicine services, including 1618 Televisits, to 1694 patients (972 adults, 722 children) with a wide range of chronic neurological disorders. We successfully administered different clinical assessment and scales. Satisfaction among patients and caregivers was very high. During the dramatic emergency, we were able to take care of more than 1600 patients by organizing Neuro-telehealth in a few weeks, lessening the impact of the pandemic on fragile patients with chronic neurological disorders; this strategy is now stably embedded in our care pathways. In Italy, Telehealth is at present recognized and priced and is becoming a stable pillar of the health system.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Lombardy was severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic since February 2020 and the Health System underwent rapid reorganization. Outpatient clinics were stopped for non-urgent patients: it became a priority to manage hundreds of fragile neurological patients who suddenly had less reference points. In Italy, before the pandemic, Televisits were neither recognized nor priced.
METHODS
METHODS
At the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, we reorganized outpatient clinics to deliver Neuro-telemedicine services, including Televisits and Teleneurorehabilitation, since March 2020. A dedicated Working Group prepared the procedure, tested the system, and designed satisfaction questionnaires for adults and children.
RESULTS
RESULTS
After a pilot phase, we prepared a procedure for Telemedicine outpatient clinics which was approved by hospital directions. It included prescription, booking, consenting, privacy and data protection, secure connection with patients (Teams Microsoft 365), electronic report preparation and delivery, reporting, and accountability of the services. During the March-September 2020 period, we delivered 3167 Telemedicine services, including 1618 Televisits, to 1694 patients (972 adults, 722 children) with a wide range of chronic neurological disorders. We successfully administered different clinical assessment and scales. Satisfaction among patients and caregivers was very high.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
During the dramatic emergency, we were able to take care of more than 1600 patients by organizing Neuro-telehealth in a few weeks, lessening the impact of the pandemic on fragile patients with chronic neurological disorders; this strategy is now stably embedded in our care pathways. In Italy, Telehealth is at present recognized and priced and is becoming a stable pillar of the health system.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33929645
doi: 10.1007/s10072-021-05252-9
pii: 10.1007/s10072-021-05252-9
pmc: PMC8086222
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2637-2644Investigateurs
Carlo Antozzi
(C)
Anna Ardissone
(A)
Enrica Bersano
(E)
Giorgio Boncoraglio
(G)
Salvatore Bonvegna
(S)
Andrea Botturi
(A)
Laura Brambilla
(L)
Laura Canafoglia
(L)
Luigi Caputi
(L)
Paola Caroppo
(P)
Maria Rita Carriero
(MR)
Cecilia Casali
(C)
Marina Casazza
(M)
Alessia Catania
(A)
Claudia Ciaccio
(C)
Roberto Cilia
(R)
Eleonora Dalla Bella
(E)
Domenico D'Amico
(D)
Federica Rachele Danti
(FR)
Stefano D'Arrigo
(S)
Marco De Curtis
(M)
Francesco Deleo
(F)
Grazia Devigili
(G)
Giuseppe Di Fede
(G)
Roberta Di Giacomo
(R)
Antonio Elia
(A)
Silvia Esposito
(S)
Margherita Estienne
(M)
Silvia Fenu
(S)
Mario Fichera
(M)
Gaetano Finocchiaro
(G)
Rita Frangiamore
(R)
Marta Gatti
(M)
Paola Gaviani
(P)
Giorgio Giaccone
(G)
Luca Giani
(L)
Anna Rita Giovagnoli
(AR)
Nico Golfrè Andreasi
(NG)
Tiziana Granata
(T)
Elisa Granocchio
(E)
Costanza Lamperti
(C)
Elena Lamperti
(E)
Massimo Leone
(M)
Riccardo Masson
(R)
Lorenzo Nanetti
(L)
Nardo Nardocci
(N)
Chiara Pastori
(C)
Chiara Pisciotta
(C)
Alberto Proietti Cecchini
(AP)
Francesca Ragona
(F)
Veronica Redaelli
(V)
Veronica Saletti
(V)
Ettore Salsano
(E)
Emma Scelzo
(E)
Roberta Solazzi
(R)
Alessandra Tozzo
(A)
Susanna Usai
(S)
Giovanna Zorzi
(G)
Maria Teresa Arnoldi
(MT)
Maria Foscan
(M)
Alessia Marchi
(A)
Ilaria Pedrinelli
(I)
Riccardo Zanin
(R)
Stefania Gazzola
(S)
Santina Magazù
(S)
Maria Rosa Scopelliti
(MR)
Tiziana Casalino
(T)
Marinella De Salvatore
(M)
Sara Mazzanti
(S)
Matilde Taddei
(M)
Alessandro Fedeli
(A)
Davide Sattin
(D)
Luca Galimberti
(L)
Rocco Zagari
(R)
Marco Bombonato
(M)
Luigi Fonte
(L)
Simona Floridia
(S)
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