Ahmed Anas E, Alsunusi Omar A, Alamer Hussain A, Shubayli Elaf A, Alqahtani Haya A, Juraybi Raghad K, Aboud Atheer M, Alshihri Mohammed S, Almaghrabi Aeshah H, Aljohani Wassal F, Almudawi Ali M
Community Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 11;17(4):e82075. doi: 10.7759/cureus.82075. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Infection prevention and control is a critical aspect of healthcare delivery, especially during the ongoing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Telemedicine has emerged as a valuable strategy for reducing the risk of infection transmission while maintaining the continuity of care. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness, benefits, and challenges of telemedicine interventions aimed at improving infection prevention and control across various healthcare settings. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines using databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Virtual Health Library, covering studies published up to November 2024. Studies eligible for inclusion comprised randomized trials, observational studies, and mixed-methods research assessing telemedicine applications for infection control. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using established tools for qualitative and quantitative research appraisal. Five studies met the inclusion criteria and highlighted several positive outcomes. Telemedicine interventions such as mobile applications, remote video assessments of infection control practices, and virtual infection control consultations were associated with reduced infection rates, improved compliance with preventive protocols, and timely identification of procedural gaps. In inpatient settings, telemedicine also helped conserve protective equipment and reduce staff exposure. High patient satisfaction and maintained quality of care were commonly reported. However, several challenges were identified, including technical barriers, increased workload for healthcare workers, and concerns regarding data security. These findings suggest that telemedicine is a promising and adaptable solution for enhancing infection prevention efforts, but successful implementation depends on addressing operational barriers, ensuring adequate training, and strengthening infrastructure. Further rigorous research is needed to evaluate the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of telemedicine in infection control.
感染预防与控制是医疗服务的一个关键方面,尤其是在冠状病毒大流行带来持续挑战的时期。远程医疗已成为一种有价值的策略,可在保持护理连续性的同时降低感染传播风险。本系统评价评估了旨在改善各类医疗环境中感染预防与控制的远程医疗干预措施的有效性、益处和挑战。按照系统评价与Meta分析的首选报告项目(PRISMA)2020指南,使用包括PubMed、Scopus、科学网、Cochrane对照试验中央注册库和虚拟健康图书馆在内的数据库进行了全面的文献检索,涵盖截至2024年11月发表的研究。符合纳入标准的研究包括评估远程医疗在感染控制方面应用的随机试验、观察性研究和混合方法研究。使用既定的定性和定量研究评估工具对研究的方法学质量进行了评估。五项研究符合纳入标准,并突出了几个积极成果。移动应用程序、感染控制实践的远程视频评估和虚拟感染控制咨询等远程医疗干预措施与感染率降低、对预防方案的依从性提高以及程序差距的及时识别相关。在住院环境中,远程医疗还有助于节省防护设备并减少工作人员接触。普遍报告了较高的患者满意度和护理质量的维持。然而,也确定了一些挑战,包括技术障碍、医护人员工作量增加以及对数据安全的担忧。这些发现表明,远程医疗是加强感染预防工作的一种有前景且适应性强的解决方案,但成功实施取决于解决操作障碍、确保充分培训和加强基础设施建设。需要进一步进行严格研究以评估远程医疗在感染控制中的长期影响和成本效益。