The Coronaid Program: An App-Based Telemedicine Tool for Triaging, Testing, Treating and Monitoring COVID-19 Patients in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the results of a Mexican telemedicine program for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS

An observational retrospective study was conducted to analyze and describe the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who received medical video consultations for respiratory symptoms.

RESULTS

A total of 1,148 video consultations were given from March to September 2020 via Sofía's mobile app. A total of 580 patients sought medical consultation regarding respiratory symptoms. Of the patients, 51% were male and the mean age was 36 years (SD = 13). Of the patients, 35% had comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, and 1.2% were sent to the ED. Fifty-seven polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 were requested and we detected a 53% positivity rate with a mean follow-up of 4.6 consultations.

CONCLUSION

Telemedicine has proven to be a safe and effective tool for triaging, testing, treating, and remote monitoring of patients with mild COVID-19. Patients triaged by Sofía had good overall outcomes and reduced the risks of in-person consultation in the pandemic.