Veterans Affairs Telemedicine: Bringing Urologic Care to Remote Clinics
Veterans Affairs Telemedicine: Bringing Urologic Care to Remote Clinics
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DOI：
10.1016/j.urology.2015.04.038
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发表时间：
2015-08-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.1
通讯作者：
Shelton, Jeremy
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chu, Stephanie;Boxer, Richard;Shelton, Jeremy
目的报告使用远程医疗提供一般泌尿科护理的远程地点内的退伍军人事务部大洛杉矶医疗保健系统。我们描述的诊断管理，病人的满意度，安全性，并有利于患者节省的旅行时间和expense.METHODS方面，我们进行了回顾性的图表审查，检查通过泌尿外科远程医疗诊所在6个月内提供的护理。我们检查了泌尿系统的条件，病人的满意度，并在30天内访问急诊科。我们估计通过计算旅行距离和时间，并节省旅行相关的成本，使用谷歌地图和美国人口普查收入data.Results九十七个独特的远程医疗访问进行了评估，共171泌尿系统疾病的患者的利益。最常见的情况是下尿路症状（35%），前列腺特异性抗原水平升高（15%）和前列腺癌（14%）。1例患者在30天内因不可预防的泌尿系统疾病在急诊科就诊。95%的患者满意度为“非常好”到“优秀”，97%的患者会将另一名退伍军人转诊到泌尿外科远程医疗诊所。患者节省了平均277英里的旅行，290分钟的旅行时间，67美元的旅行费用，和126美元的机会成本损失cost.CONCLUSION远程医疗成功和安全地用于评估和治疗范围广泛的泌尿系统条件内的退伍军人事务部大洛杉矶医疗保健系统，并节省患者近5个小时，高达193美元每次访问。有必要进一步调查远程医疗以具有成本效益的方式提供泌尿科护理的潜力。(C)2015 Elsevier Inc.
OBJECTIVE To report the use of telemedicine to deliver general urologic care to remote locations within the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. We describe the diagnoses managed, patient satisfaction, safety, and benefit to patients in terms of saved travel time and expense.METHODS We conducted a retrospective chart review examining care delivered through urology telemedicine clinics over a 6-month period. We examined the urologic conditions, patient satisfaction, and emergency department visits within 30 days of the visit. We estimated patient benefit by calculating travel distance and time and the saved travel-associated costs using Google Maps and US Census income data.RESULTS Ninety-seven unique telemedicine visits were conducted and a total of 171 urologic diseases were assessed. The most common conditions were lower urinary tract symptoms (35%), elevated prostate-specific antigen level (15%), and prostate cancer (14%). One patient was seen in the emergency department within 30 days with an unpreventable urologic complaint. Patient satisfaction was "very good" to "excellent" in 95% of cases, and 97% would refer another veteran to the urology telemedicine clinic. Patients saved an average of 277 travel miles, 290 minutes of travel time, $67 in travel expenses, and $126 in lost opportunity cost.CONCLUSION Telemedicine was successfully and safely used to evaluate and treat a wide range of urologic conditions within the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, and saves patients nearly 5 hours and up to $193 per visit. Further investigation of the potential of telemedicine for the delivery of urologic care in a cost-effective manner is warranted. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc.