Development and Evaluation of a Clinical Guideline for a Pediatric Telemedicine and Medication Delivery Service: A Prospective Cohort Study in Haiti

Abstract

Objective: Despite the emergence of telemedicine as an important model for healthcare delivery, there is a lack of evidence-based telemedicine guidelines, especially for resource-limited settings. We sought to develop and evaluate a guideline for a pediatric telemedicine and medication delivery service (TMDS). Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at a TMDS in Haiti; children ≤10 years were enrolled. Among non-severe cases, paired virtual and in-person exams were conducted at the call center and household; severe cases were referred to the hospital. The primary outcome was the performance of the virtual exam compared to the in-person exam (reference standard). Findings: A total of 391 cases were enrolled. Among 320 cases with paired exams, no general World Health Organization (WHO) danger signs were identified at the household; problem-specific danger signs were identified in 6 cases (2%). Cohen's kappa for the designation of mild cases was 0.78 (95%CI 0.69-0.87). Among components of the virtual exam, the sensitivity and specificity of a reported fever were 91% (87%-96%) and 69% (62%-74%), respectively; the sensitivity and specificity of 'fast breathing' were 47% (21%-72%) and 89% (85%-94%), respectively. Kappa for dehydration assessments indicated moderate congruence (0.69; 95%CI 0.41-0.98). At 10 days, 95% (273) of the 287 cases reached were better/recovered. Conclusion: This study, and resulting guideline, represents a formative step towards an evidence-based pediatric telemedicine guideline built on WHO clinical principles. In-person exams for select cases were important to address limitations with virtual exams and identify cases for escalation.

Evaluating the prerequisites for adapting a paediatric nighttime telemedicine and medication delivery service to a setting with high malarial burden: A cross‐sectional pre‐implementation study

“…A total of 263 households were surveyed in Jamestown/ Usshertown, and a total of 248 households were surveyed in Nkenkaasu. The median household size was 5 (IQR: 4-6) in Jamestown/Usshertown and 6 [4][5][6][7][8] in Nkenkaasu. The proportions of participant parents/ guardians who completed secondary school were 32% in Jamestown/Usshertown and 20% in Nkenkaasu.…”

“…This service, called MotoMeds, was designed to be country-agnostic and adaptable based on local survey assessments. The initial deployment of the TMDS occurred in Haiti in 2019, where operational and clinical thresholds for feasibility were met [5,6]. However, these findings cannot be assumed to apply to distinct contexts.…”

“…To bypass barriers, our team developed a telemedicine and medication delivery service (TMDS) to improve access to acute paediatric care in LMICs at night [5,6]. This service, called MotoMeds, was designed to be country-agnostic and adaptable based on local survey assessments.…”