Telemedicine During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Pediatric Otolaryngology Perspective

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a situation unparalleled in our lifetime. As the medical community has attempted to navigate a sea of ever-changing information and policies, this uncertainty has instead bred creativity, community, and evolution. Necessity is the mother of invention, and one of the by-products of our rapidly changing environment is the increased reliance on telemedicine. Here, we discuss our experience with incorporating telemedicine into an urban academic pediatric otolaryngology practice, the challenges that we have encountered, and the principles unique to this population.

Laryngeal complications of COVID‐19

“…In only a few months, it has changed the way otolaryngologists think about how we protect ourselves in the office and operating room, [1][2][3][4][5][6] how we think about aerosolizing procedures, [7][8][9][10][11][12] and how we participate in telemedicine. [13][14][15][16][17] Several aspects of the pandemic affect otolaryngologists in particular. As surgeons of the head and neck, tracheostomy management, anosmia evaluation, and evaluation of upper respiratory tract symptoms fall under the otolaryngologist's purview.…”

A rapid review of digital health strategies and policies in response to COVID-19 pandemic

“…Although otolaryngologists have been infected with COVID-19 at significantly higher rates (16) in some countries and there are clear indications and encouragement for the use of teleconsultations in paediatric otolaryngology (5) , some new concerns about protocols have emerged. Although the current crisis has removed many of the administrative, financial, and legal barriers to Telehealth, the role of regulation has dropped to minimal.…”

“…Moreover, initial experiences of teleconsultations have had negative feedback from most care providers and patents alike. They were attributable to longer consultation times and technical issues (11) of connectivity, sign-in, and frequent virtual "no-shows" (5) . Issues of privacy have been highlighted, especially in telepsychiatry, where the opportunity for a safe, confidential space at home can be questionable (11) .…”

“…However, adopting these digital health technologies by different countries and healthcare facilities has not been sufficient, appropriate, or uniform. It is observed that these efforts have created many challenges in the volatile, resource-hungry, and characteristically unique healthcare settings (5) . Moreover, a certain degree of over-emphasis and over-reliance on the technological capabilities of digital health applications is imminent (6) .…”

Implications Of Online Health Services During Covid-19

“…With cybersecurity being a significant problem in healthcare operations, many users fear that the current systems can be hacked into and their data were stolen and manipulated (Maurrasse et al 2020).…”