Telemedicine in cardiac procedures: considerations for a remote future.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Present a review of relevant literature and suggest a framework for discussion of the considerations affecting the evolution and adoption of Telerobotic Support and Telerobotic Collaboration in the practice of cardiac procedural medicine.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent medical practice has undergone remarkable transformation in the adoption of telemedicine. This evolution has been accelerated by the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and has largely been focused on outpatient medicine. Clinical studies and opinion articles have highlighted benefits including reduced costs, increased patient engagement, and saved time, while also raising concerns regarding privacy, care quality and data security. Early and current efforts implementing remote procedural medicine have not only demonstrated technical success but also highlighted the many issues that must be resolved before acceptance as a major aspect of everyday patient care.

SUMMARY

It is inevitable that remote technologies will play an increasing role in procedural medicine as they have in outpatient clinical medicine. Thoughtful participation by physicians in the evolution of these technologies and their modes of use will be necessary to maximize the benefits to our patients and healthcare systems.