Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
J Med Internet Res. 2021 Apr 6;23(4):e23914. doi: 10.2196/23914.
Vulnerable populations have been identified as having higher infection rates and poorer COVID-19-related outcomes, likely due to their inability to readily access primary care, follow public health directives, and adhere to self-isolation guidelines. As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many health care services have adopted new digital solutions, which rely on phone and internet connectivity. However, persons who are digitally inaccessible, such as those experiencing poverty or homelessness, are often unable to use these services. In response to this newly highlighted social disparity known as "digital health inequity," emergency physicians at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada, initiated a program called PHONE-CONNECT (Phones for Healthier Ontarians iN EDs - COvid NEeds met by Cellular Telephone). This novel approach attempts to improve patients' access to health care, information, and social services, as well as improve their ability to adhere to public health directives (social isolation and contact tracing). Although similar programs addressing the same emerging issues have been recently described in the media, this is the first time phones have been provided as a health care intervention in an emergency department. This innovative emergency department point-of-care intervention may have a significant impact on improving health outcomes for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
弱势群体的感染率和与 COVID-19 相关的不良结局更高，这可能是因为他们无法轻易获得初级保健、遵循公共卫生指令和遵守自我隔离准则。作为对 COVID-19 大流行的回应，许多医疗保健服务采用了新的数字解决方案，这些方案依赖于电话和互联网连接。然而，那些无法使用数字技术的人，例如那些贫困或无家可归的人，往往无法使用这些服务。为了应对这种新出现的被称为“数字健康不公平”的社会差距，加拿大多伦多大学健康网络的急诊医生发起了一个名为 PHONE-CONNECT（Phones for Healthier Ontarians iN EDs - COvid NEeds met by Cellular Telephone）的项目。这种新方法试图改善患者获得医疗保健、信息和社会服务的机会，并提高他们遵守公共卫生指令（社交隔离和接触者追踪）的能力。尽管最近媒体已经描述了类似的针对同一新兴问题的项目，但这是第一次在急诊室将手机作为医疗干预措施提供。这种创新的急诊护理即时干预措施可能会对改善 COVID-19 大流行期间和之后弱势群体的健康结果产生重大影响。
