Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019
Study Design An original article describing a comprehensive methodology for making a traditional spine surgery clinic telemedicine-ready in terms of logistical considerations and workflow. Purpose The aim of this study is to promote the use of telemedicine via videoconferencing to reduce human expos...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Korean Spine Society
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Asian Spine Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.asianspinejournal.org/upload/pdf/asj-2020-0508.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818657302690922496 |
|---|---|
| author | Ka-Po Gabriel Liu Wei Loong Barry Tan Wei Luen James Yip Jun-Hao Tan Hee-Kit Wong |
| author_facet | Ka-Po Gabriel Liu Wei Loong Barry Tan Wei Luen James Yip Jun-Hao Tan Hee-Kit Wong |
| author_sort | Ka-Po Gabriel Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Study Design An original article describing a comprehensive methodology for making a traditional spine surgery clinic telemedicine-ready in terms of logistical considerations and workflow. Purpose The aim of this study is to promote the use of telemedicine via videoconferencing to reduce human exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission at outpatient clinics. Overview of Literature The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest healthcare crisis in the 21st century. Until a vaccine is developed or herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is achieved, social distancing to avoid crowding is an important strategy to reduce disease transmission and resurgence. Telemedicine has already been applied in the field of orthopedics with encouraging results. Methods We reviewed the evidence behind telemedicine and described our clinical protocol, patient selection criteria, and workflow for telemedicine. We discussed a simple methodology to convert pre-existing traditional clinic resources into telemedicine tools, along with future challenges. Results Our methodology was successfully and easily applied in our clinical practice, with a streamlined workflow allowing our spine surgery service to implement telemedicine as a consultation modality in line with the national recommendations of social distancing. Conclusions Telemedicine was well incorporated into our outpatient practice using the above workflow. We believe that the use of telemedicine via videoconferencing can become part of the new normal and a safe strategy for healthcare systems as both a medical and an economic countermeasure against COVID-19. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T03:39:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-83fe6d6b01964720a5e8cbf7c31d2907 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1976-1902 1976-7846 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T03:39:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Korean Spine Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Spine Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-83fe6d6b01964720a5e8cbf7c31d29072022-12-21T22:05:03ZengKorean Spine SocietyAsian Spine Journal1976-19021976-78462021-04-0115216417110.31616/asj.2020.05081334Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019Ka-Po Gabriel Liu0Wei Loong Barry Tan1Wei Luen James Yip2Jun-Hao Tan3Hee-Kit Wong4 University Orthopaedics, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster, National University Health System, Singapore University Orthopaedics, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster, National University Health System, Singapore Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, Singapore University Orthopaedics, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster, National University Health System, Singapore University Orthopaedics, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster, National University Health System, SingaporeStudy Design An original article describing a comprehensive methodology for making a traditional spine surgery clinic telemedicine-ready in terms of logistical considerations and workflow. Purpose The aim of this study is to promote the use of telemedicine via videoconferencing to reduce human exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission at outpatient clinics. Overview of Literature The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest healthcare crisis in the 21st century. Until a vaccine is developed or herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is achieved, social distancing to avoid crowding is an important strategy to reduce disease transmission and resurgence. Telemedicine has already been applied in the field of orthopedics with encouraging results. Methods We reviewed the evidence behind telemedicine and described our clinical protocol, patient selection criteria, and workflow for telemedicine. We discussed a simple methodology to convert pre-existing traditional clinic resources into telemedicine tools, along with future challenges. Results Our methodology was successfully and easily applied in our clinical practice, with a streamlined workflow allowing our spine surgery service to implement telemedicine as a consultation modality in line with the national recommendations of social distancing. Conclusions Telemedicine was well incorporated into our outpatient practice using the above workflow. We believe that the use of telemedicine via videoconferencing can become part of the new normal and a safe strategy for healthcare systems as both a medical and an economic countermeasure against COVID-19.http://www.asianspinejournal.org/upload/pdf/asj-2020-0508.pdfsars-cov-2covid-19telemedicineremote consultationvideoconferencingspine surgeryspine clinic |
| spellingShingle | Ka-Po Gabriel Liu Wei Loong Barry Tan Wei Luen James Yip Jun-Hao Tan Hee-Kit Wong Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Asian Spine Journal sars-cov-2 covid-19 telemedicine remote consultation videoconferencing spine surgery spine clinic |
| title | Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
| title_full | Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
| title_fullStr | Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
| title_short | Making a Traditional Spine Surgery Clinic Telemedicine-Ready in the “New Normal” of Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
| title_sort | making a traditional spine surgery clinic telemedicine ready in the new normal of coronavirus disease 2019 |
| topic | sars-cov-2 covid-19 telemedicine remote consultation videoconferencing spine surgery spine clinic |
| url | http://www.asianspinejournal.org/upload/pdf/asj-2020-0508.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kapogabrielliu makingatraditionalspinesurgeryclinictelemedicinereadyinthenewnormalofcoronavirusdisease2019 AT weiloongbarrytan makingatraditionalspinesurgeryclinictelemedicinereadyinthenewnormalofcoronavirusdisease2019 AT weiluenjamesyip makingatraditionalspinesurgeryclinictelemedicinereadyinthenewnormalofcoronavirusdisease2019 AT junhaotan makingatraditionalspinesurgeryclinictelemedicinereadyinthenewnormalofcoronavirusdisease2019 AT heekitwong makingatraditionalspinesurgeryclinictelemedicinereadyinthenewnormalofcoronavirusdisease2019 |