COVID-19 Pandemic and Telephone Triage before Attending Medical Office: Problem or Opportunity?

Abstract

During the COVID-19 emergency, the medical operating protocols have been largely modified for reducing any type of contamination risk, for working in a safe way and for making the patient feel in a safe environment. Telemedicine, smart phones and apps could represent important devices for the community, in order to prevent virus trasmission and to perform quick diagnosis and management at medical offices. This manuscript could be useful for clinicians with regard to the current state of the effectiveness of the telephone triage in this COVID-19 epidemic period. Therefore, it could be an important starting point for future perspectives about telemedicine and virtual patient management.

SARS-CoV-2 Persistence: Data Summary up to Q2 2020

“…Studies on coronaviruses, not SARS-CoV-2, such as the SARS and MERS virus, suggest that the survival time of these pathogens on surfaces, in experimental conditions, varies from a few hours to a few days depending on the material involved, concentration, temperature and humidity. It should be emphasized that this data refers to the finding of the virus RNA and not to its isolation in vital form, and therefore not related to its real infectivity [16,25,26,[39][40][41][42]].…”

“…Handles and public transport handholds; • Buttons; • Mobile phones and electronics; • Floor [20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

Safety procedures for exercise testing in the scenario of COVID-19: a position statement of the Società Italiana Scienze Motorie e Sportive

“…1). This technology, already used by various health care systems and hospitals [14], is ideal in a pandemic scenario emergencies since it limit exposure to asymptomatic (but possibly contagious) individuals. Other essential principles are minimization of direct patient-personnel interactions and number of health-care specialist required for the management of each patient to the minimum required.…”

Recommendations, Practices and Infrastructural Model for the Dental Radiology Set-up in Clinical and Academic Institutions in the COVID-19 Era

“…The second concept in the wake of minimisminimising human contact which gained wide success was Telephone triaging/teletriaging. It was implemented in many countries with far reaching outcomes [ 35 ]. This facility had two-fold benefits as it restricted the number of patients as well as the health care professionals including oral radiology consultants at the health care units.…”

“…This facility had two-fold benefits as it restricted the number of patients as well as the health care professionals including oral radiology consultants at the health care units. Here the information regarding patient’s health and need for the imaging was assessed [ 35 ]. The structured questions during telephone triaging also helped to screen the patient for COVID-19 and render advice accordingly.…”