Telemedicine in Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Telemedicine is the remote practice of medicine through the use of information and communication technologies for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases. In this narrative review, we illustrate how telemedicine technologies are increasingly integrated into pediatric infectious disease programs with the aim of facilitating access to specialist care and reducing costs. There is widespread use of telemedicine for the management of acute and chronic infectious diseases, particularly in countries in which the majority of the population lives in rural areas, far from third-level hospital centers located in large urban centers. Obviously, telemedicine is also used in developed countries, and its importance has been further increased recently given the COVID-19 pandemic. It has many advantages for patients, such as saving time, money and working hours, and reducing cancelled appointments and delays, while there are also many advantages for doctors, allowing collaborations with specialists and continuous updating. Among the disadvantages are the limitation in carrying out an objective examination, which is particularly important for children under 2 years of age, and the need for cutting-edge technology and reliable connectivity. Telemedicine increasingly represents the future and the beginning of a new healthcare system that also will redefine medical care for the treatment of infectious diseases, both acute and chronic. However, the majority of the experience has involved adults, and its validation in pediatric care, as well as its application in real-life practices, are urgently needed.

The Effective Management of Fever in Pediatrics and Insights on Remote Management: Experts' Consensus Using a Delphi Approach

“…The third section of the questionnaire was focused on remote medical management, not specifically limited to febrile children ( 18 ). Although this is a topic not widely considered in the pediatric literature, all statements achieved high levels of consensus already after the first round and were confirmed after the second.…”

“…Based on the literature search ( 1 , 4 – 18 ), a questionnaire ( Table 1 ) was prepared by one of the board members (Antonio Vitale) and submitted to the board, in a non-anonymous manner, in order to identify areas of agreement and acquire further information to improve the survey through open questions. The responses of the board members to each statement were analyzed by a descriptive statistic performed by Menthalia and discussed during two web meeting brainstorms, moderated by a facilitator from Menthalia.…”

Use of Telemedicine Healthcare Systems in Pediatric Assistance at Territorial Level: Consensus Document of the Italian Society of Telemedicine (SIT), of the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS), of the Italian Society of Pediatric Primary Care (SICuPP), of the Italian Federation of Pediatric Doctors (FIMP) and of the Syndicate of Family Pediatrician Doctors (SIMPeF)

“…Technological innovation can contribute to a reorganization of health care, in particular, by supporting the shift in the focus of health care from the hospital to the community, through innovative care models centered on the citizen and facilitating access to services in the community [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. The delivery methods of health and social-health services, enabled by telemedicine, are fundamental in this sense; they help to ensure a fair access to treatment in remote areas, support for the management of chronic conditions, a channel for accessing a highly specialized continuity of care through multidisciplinary comparison and a fundamental aid for emergency services [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Use of Telemedicine Healthcare Systems in Children and Adolescents with Chronic Disease or in Transition Stages of Life: Consensus Document of the Italian Society of Telemedicine (SIT), of the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS), of the Italian Society of Pediatric Primary Care (SICuPP), of the Italian Federation of Pediatric Doctors (FIMP) and of the Syndicate of Family Pediatrician Doctors (SIMPeF)

“…Telemedicine is considered an excellent tool to support the daily and traditional practice of the health profession, especially when referring to the care and management of chronic patients [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light all the fragility of health systems: the geographical and socio-economic disparities in accessing services and benefits, waiting times that are often too long to carry out examinations and specialist visits and the poor integration between the hospital system and medicine on the territory [ 4 , 5 ].…”