Telemedicine in Pediatric Transport: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Objective. Investigate the hypothesis that telemedicine, in the form of real-time audiovisual transmission, would permit accurate assessment of illness severity and allow improved triage for transport. Methods. A prospective study comparing assessments of patients examined conventionally (in person) and remotely by a telemedicine link. Fifteen patients (3 months to 14 years of age) admitted to our emergency department were evaluated as if for transport. Patients were evaluated simultaneously by a physically present pediatric emergency room physician and by a pediatric critical care physician linked to the examining room by a broadband audiovisual link. Each physician completed a patient assessment questionnaire independently. The sensitivity and specificity of the patient assessment by the audiovisually linked physician were calculated. Results. Sensitivity, ie, the ability of the remote, audiovisually connected telemedicine physician to detect abnormal findings, is 87.5%. Specificity, the ability of the remote physician to detect normal findings, is 93%. It is likely that sensitivity would be markedly improved with addition of an electronic stethoscope. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that pediatric patients may be assessed accurately with a broadcast-quality real-time audiovisual system. Such a system may have dramatic implications for providing pediatric specialty and subspecialty care in underserved areas.