Telemedicine use among neurologists before and during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: After the public health emergency due to COVID-19 was declared in Brazil, the federal government temporarily regulated and authorized the use of telemedicine services for patient consultation, monitoring, and diagnosis. For more than a decade, neurologists have recognized the benefits of telemedicine in the acute management of stroke patients. However, as the use of telemedicine was restricted until the COVID-19 pandemic, the view of Brazilian neurologists about telemedicine is unknown. Methods: All neurologists registered at the Brazilian Academy of Neurology were invited by e-mail to participate in a survey about personal perceptions on telemedicine use. Results: One hundred sixty-two neurologists from all regions of Brazil answered the online questionnaire. The survey showed that 18.5% of participants worked with telemedicine before the pandemic, while 63.6% reported working with telemedicine during the pandemic. The main telemedicine modalities used during the pandemic were teleorientation and teleconsultation. Discussion: According to our data, the COVID-19 pandemic deeply influenced the behavior of Brazilian neurologists, who developed a more favorable view about telemedicine and actively searched for information about telemedicine. As there is a need for more training in this area in Brazil, universities and medical societies must strive to improve telemedicine education. Expanding the use of high-quality teleneurology can contribute to a better care for patients with neurological diseases in Brazil.

Telemedicine in neurology: advances and possibilities

“…In the last two years, however, experience with this type of care has increased and telemedicine has been encouraged 29 . Current evidence indicates that telemedicine is a potential tool to be used as a complement to face-to face consultations in numerous areas of neurology 30 .…”

“…There are few Brazilian publications about teleneurology. A recent survey 30 showed that before the pandemic only 18.5% of Brazilian neurologists worked with telemedicine and 31.7% studied telemedicine, while 63.6% reported working with telemedicine during the first year of pandemic 30 .…”

Neuroethics in the Era of Teleneurology

“…Especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual neurology encounters have been widely used to help facilitate equitable, safe, and reliable access to medical evaluation across a variety of geographic and clinical settings. 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 Teleneurology-enabled hub-and-spoke model system design may also be used to democratize access to neurology expertise and to aid in appropriate triage of neurologically complex patients, including those with stroke and DoC. 59 60 61 Statements and resources made available by the American Medical Association (AMA), AAN, American Psychiatric Association, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and other organizations have supported implementation of, and access to, telemedicine services, emphasizing themes of justice in their respective guidance and resources.…”