Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Surgery and Burn and Fire Disasters Institute, Ankara, Turkey.
Burns. 2011 May;37(3):415-9. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2010.10.004. Epub 2010 Dec 13.
This study investigated the use of telemedicine in decision-making and follow-up of burn patients.
The Konya Burn Unit was established in July 2003, and up to December 2009, 187 patients were admitted to this unit, all of them were consulted-via audiovisual transmission of data (telemedicine)-to the same burn surgeon at the Ankara Burn Referral Center of our hospital network. Three basic systems are currently used: live interactive video, store-and-forward images, and telephone. The demographic data and burn criteria of the patients were investigated. Changes in the number of televisits and patient management were analyzed.
During the 66-month timeframe, 525 televisits were performed on 187 patients. There were 126 males (67.4%) and 61 females (32.6%). The mean total burn surface area (percentage of total burn surface area burned) was 23.3 ± 17.8% (range, 3-95%). Nine of the 187 patients (4.8%) died owing to multiorgan failure and sepsis. As a result of these televisits, 21 patients (11.2%) were transferred to our referral center. The number of dead and transferred patients decreased during the study.
Telemedicine is appropriate and cost-effective for treatment and follow-up of patients in burn units with personnel with limited experience.
本研究旨在探讨远程医疗在烧伤患者决策和随访中的应用。
2003 年 7 月成立了科尼亚烧伤科，截至 2009 年 12 月，共有 187 名患者入住该科，所有患者均通过数据的视听传输（远程医疗）咨询我院网络中的安卡拉烧伤转诊中心的同一位烧伤外科医生。目前使用三种基本系统：实时交互视频、存储转发图像和电话。调查了患者的人口统计学数据和烧伤标准。分析了电视访问次数和患者管理的变化。
在 66 个月的时间内，对 187 名患者进行了 525 次电视访问。其中男性 126 例（67.4%），女性 61 例（32.6%）。平均总烧伤面积（烧伤总面积的百分比）为 23.3±17.8%（范围 3-95%）。187 名患者中有 9 例（4.8%）因多器官衰竭和败血症死亡。由于这些电视访问，有 21 名患者（11.2%）被转诊到我们的转诊中心。在研究过程中，死亡和转院患者的数量有所减少。
远程医疗对于经验有限的烧伤科人员来说，是一种合适且具有成本效益的治疗和随访方法。
