Application and Preliminary Outcomes of Remote Diagnosis and Treatment During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Retrospective Cohort Study

作者：Luwen Liu, Jianqin Gu, Fengmin Shao, Xinliang Liang, Lixia Yue, Qiaomei Cheng, Lianzhong Zhang · 发表于：JMIR mhealth and uhealth · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.2196/19417 · 被引用次数：68 · 研究领域：Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation、COVID-19 and Mental Health、Mobile Health and mHealth Applications

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in the self-quarantine of countless people due to possible infection. This situation makes telemedicine necessary as it can overcome geographical barriers, increase the number of people served, and provide online clinical support for patients. However, the outcomes of telemedicine have not yet been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to describe the epidemiological features and clinical symptoms of patients receiving remote diagnosis and treatment at the online outpatient clinic of our hospital, as well as to analyze the outcomes and advantages of telemedicine, during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data from patients receiving remote diagnosis and treatment via consultation services for COVID-19 concerns at the online outpatient clinic of Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 24 to February 17, 2020, were collected. A retrospective analysis was performed on epidemiological features, clinical symptoms, and preliminary outcomes. RESULTS: Online inquiry, consultation, and suggestions were provided for patient concerns related to COVID-19. Our hospital also offered offline noncontact drug delivery services following online ordering and payment. A total of 4589 patients receiving remote diagnosis and treatment were recruited. The daily number of online outpatient visits initially increased and then decreased, r...