BACKGROUND
Telemedicine services increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, with limited studies on its implementation within pediatric orthopaedics.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to examine patient satisfaction and efficacy of telehealth specific to pediatric orthopaedics.
METHODS
Two hundred and seventy qualifying telehealth visits took place at a metropolitan area pediatric institute between March 1st-May 30th, 2020. Patients were invited to complete an anonymous satisfaction survey on their telehealth experience. Sixty-seven patients responded to the survey. A chart review was completed for all 270 telehealth visits.
RESULTS
Ninety-two percent (249/270) of telehealth visits were with established patients, and ninety-five percent (256/270) of visits were satisfactorily completed without further evaluation, with one visit requiring urgent in-person evaluation. Overall, patients were satisfied with initiating the telehealth visit (mean score of 4.56/5), as they felt comfortable discussing needs with the provider (4.68/5), and the visit saved time (4.61/5). However, patients were less enthused when deciding if telemedicine was of comparable quality to an in-person visit (3.68/5).
CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis showed that telehealth is a viable alternative to in-person visits for various pediatric orthopaedic visits, with minimal urgent complications. Patients benefited primarily from the time savings when using a telehealth visit. However, our study also demonstrates certain limitations of telemedicine, likely due to patients’ perceived value of an in-person evaluation. Our study's findings should encourage the continued implementation of pediatric orthopaedic telemedicine as an adjunct to in-person clinical practice.