Olivella Gerardo, Acosta-Julbe José I, Campa-Maldonado Carlos M, Martinez-Ramos José J, Acuña Mariana, Roura-Rovira Raul, Beauchamp Eduardo C, Ramirez Norman, Guzmán Humberto
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, 00926, USA.
Department of General Surgery, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA.
Spine Deform. 2025 Jul 18. doi: 10.1007/s43390-025-01147-3.
This study aimed to assess Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)'s perceptions of an orthopedic pediatric surgeon's empathy during a telemedicine initial clinic visit compared to an in-person visit.
A cross-sectional study was conducted on all consecutive AIS patients undergoing initial evaluation by a single pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and the data were stratified into two groups: those who underwent telemedicine and those who underwent in-person assessment. Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) questionnaire responses and sociodemographic, clinical, radiographic, and questionnaire responses were compared between groups using independent t-tests and Fisher's exact tests.
A total of 92 patients were included, with an average age of 15 years, 76% being female. Of these, 33 patients underwent telemedicine, and 59 underwent in-person office evaluations. There were no differences between both groups regarding age (P = 0.070), body mass index (P = 0.623), gender (P = 0.956), educational level (P = 0.778), presence of back pain (P = 0.854), type of back pain (i.e., constant or intermittent; P = 0.963 and 0.776, respectively), shoulder asymmetry (P = 0.277), waist asymmetry (P = 0.643), left trunk shift (P = 0.070), Risser sign stages (P = 0.655), thoracic Cobb angle (P = 0.893) and lumbar Cobb angle (P = 0.193). The CARE satisfaction scores were similar between patients who underwent telemedicine and in-person office initial evaluations.
Telemedicine is a viable alternative for initial AIS evaluations, without compromising patients' perception of empathy or communication with orthopedic surgeons. Understanding patients' perceptions of orthopedic surgeons' empathy during AIS telemedicine evaluations can support telemedicine as an alternative for initial medical encounters.
本研究旨在评估特发性脊柱侧弯青少年（AIS）在远程医疗初次门诊就诊时与亲自就诊时相比，对小儿骨科医生同理心的感知。
对一位小儿骨科医生连续进行初次评估的所有AIS患者进行横断面研究，数据分为两组：接受远程医疗的患者和接受亲自评估的患者。使用独立t检验和Fisher精确检验比较两组之间的咨询与关系同理心（CARE）问卷回答以及社会人口统计学、临床、影像学和问卷回答。
共纳入92例患者，平均年龄15岁，76%为女性。其中，33例患者接受了远程医疗，59例接受了亲自门诊评估。两组在年龄（P = 0.070）、体重指数（P = 0.623）、性别（P = 0.956）、教育水平（P = 0.778）、背痛情况（P = 0.854）、背痛类型（即持续性或间歇性；分别为P = 0.963和0.776）、肩部不对称（P = 0.277）、腰部不对称（P = 0.643）、左侧躯干偏移（P = 0.070）、Risser征分期（P = 0.655）、胸椎Cobb角（P = 0.893）和腰椎Cobb角（P = 0.193）方面均无差异。接受远程医疗和亲自门诊初次评估的患者之间的CARE满意度得分相似。
远程医疗是AIS初次评估的一种可行替代方案，不会影响患者对同理心的感知或与骨科医生的沟通。了解患者在AIS远程医疗评估中对骨科医生同理心的感知可以支持将远程医疗作为初次医疗问诊的替代方案。
