Wang James C, Elson Nora C, Epperson Madison V, Doarn Charles R, Altaye Mekibib, Tabangin Meredith E, Patil Reena Dhanda, Patil Yash J
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Telemed J E Health. 2022 Mar;28(3):334-343. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0049. Epub 2021 May 21.
To investigate the integration of and barriers to the utilization of telehealth technology and its components (telemedicine, e-Health, m-health) in daily otolaryngologic practice before the SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary academic center. A national survey of members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery was administered. Descriptive analyses were performed to determine how telehealth was employed in otolaryngologists' practices. A total of 184 surveys were completed. Telehealth technology was used by 50% of otolaryngologists surveyed. Regions with the largest percentage of physicians using telehealth were the Mid-Atlantic region (84%) and West Coast (67%). Most otolaryngologists indicated that they were familiar with telehealth or any of its components and how it is used in practice (52-83%), they had heard of telehealth or any of its components but were unsure what the terms specifically entailed (17-42%); 53% were satisfied with their current use of telehealth and electronic medical record (EMR); and 72% were comfortable utilizing smart devices for patient care. Most otolaryngologists (65%) indicated reimbursement as the biggest limitation to implementing telehealth, and 67% believed that typing was a hindrance to EMR utility. Half of the surveyed otolaryngologists used some form of telehealth at the time of the survey. The most commonly cited obstacle to physician adoption of telehealth was reimbursement. Although the adoption of telehealth technology was still limited in the field of otolaryngology based on this study, we are now seeing significant change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
为调查在严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2，即新冠病毒）大流行之前，远程医疗技术及其组成部分（远程医学、电子健康、移动健康）在日常耳鼻喉科实践中的整合情况及使用障碍。这项横断面研究在一家三级学术中心进行。对美国耳鼻咽喉-头颈外科学会的成员进行了全国性调查。进行描述性分析以确定耳鼻喉科医生在实践中如何使用远程医疗。共完成了184份调查问卷。接受调查的耳鼻喉科医生中有50%使用了远程医疗技术。使用远程医疗的医生比例最高的地区是大西洋中部地区（84%）和西海岸（67%）。大多数耳鼻喉科医生表示，他们熟悉远程医疗或其任何组成部分以及其在实践中的使用方式（52%-83%），他们听说过远程医疗或其任何组成部分，但不确定这些术语具体含义（17%-42%）；53%的人对他们目前使用远程医疗和电子病历（EMR）感到满意；72%的人对使用智能设备进行患者护理感到放心。大多数耳鼻喉科医生（65%）表示报销是实施远程医疗的最大限制，67%的人认为打字是电子病历使用的障碍。在调查时，一半接受调查的耳鼻喉科医生使用了某种形式的远程医疗。医生采用远程医疗最常提到的障碍是报销。尽管根据这项研究，远程医疗技术在耳鼻喉科领域的采用仍然有限，但由于新冠疫情，我们现在看到了重大变化。
