Sickness absenteeism, of hospital employees particularly, is a problem of concern due to its negative economic and morale impacts. The aim of the first stage of the study was to identify according to some demographic (sex, age, marital status) and occupational (occupational group, duration of hospital employment) variables those groups of hospital employees who are at higher risk of sickness absenteeism. A comparison with the data of the study performed in the same hospital about 15 years ago showed a rise in the duration of absences with a simultaneous reduction in their incidence. Sickness absenteeism was higher among female, mainly unskilled, workers, presently or previously married, aged from 45 to 60, and employed in the hospital for over ten years. Continuous social and medical surveillance of these employees is suggested as a promising way of reducing sickness absenteeism.

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IMPORTANCEThere was a shift in patient volume from in-person to video telemedicine visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE To determine the concordance of provisional diagnoses established at a video telemedicine visit with diagnoses established at an in-person visit for patients presenting with a new clinical problem. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This is a diagnostic study of patients who underwent a video telemedicine consultation followed by an in-person outpatient visit for the same clinical problem in the same specialty within a 90-day window. The provisional diagnosis made during the video telemedicine visit was compared with the reference standard diagnosis by 2 blinded, independent medical reviewers. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine factors significantly related to diagnostic concordance. The study was conducted at a large academic integrated multispecialty health care institution (Mayo Clinic locations in Rochester, Minnesota; Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida; and Mayo Clinic Health System locations in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) between March 24 and June 24, 2020. Participants included Mayo Clinic patients residing in the US without age restriction. Data analysis was performed from December 2020 to June 2021. EXPOSURES New clinical problem assessed via video telemedicine visit to home using Zoom Care Anyplace integrated into Epic. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Concordance of provisional diagnoses established over video telemedicine visits compared against a reference standard diagnosis. RESULTS There were 2393 participants in the analysis. The median (IQR) age of patients was 53 (37-64) years; 1381 (57.7%) identified as female, and 1012 (42.3%) identified as male. Overall, the provisional diagnosis established over video telemedicine visit was concordant with the in-person reference standard diagnosis in 2080 of 2393 cases (86.9%; 95% CI, 85.6%-88.3%). Diagnostic concordance by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, TenthRevision chapter ranged from 64.7% (95% CI, 42.0%-87.4%) for diseases of the ear and mastoid process to 96.8% (95% CI, 94.7%-98.8%) for neoplasms. Diagnostic concordance by medical specialty ranged from 77.3% (95% CI, 64.9%-89.7%) for otorhinolaryngology to 96.0% (92.1%-99.8%) for psychiatry. Specialty care was found to be significantly more likely than primary (continued) Key Points Question How concordant to an in-person diagnosis are provisional diagnoses established at a video telemedicine visit for patients presenting with a new clinical problem? Findings In this diagnostic study of 2393 patients who underwent a video telemedicine consultation followed by an in-person outpatient visit for the same clinical problem in the same specialty within a 90-day window, the provisional diagnosis established over video telemedicine visit matched the in-person reference standard diagnosis in 86.9% of cases. Meaning These findings suggest that video telemedicine visits yield a high deg...