@article{4e01285bda9b473882c6581e9d0eb50a,
title = "Changes in diagnosis, treatment, and clinical improvement among patients receiving telemedicine consultations",
abstract = "The aim of this study was to determine whether outpatient telemedicine specialty consultations to primary care clinicians result in changes in a patient's diagnosis, treatment management, and clinical outcomes. Medical records of patients who received two or more clinical telemedicine consultations in dermatology, psychiatry, and endocrinology were evaluated in a nonconcurrent retrospective analysis. Three indicators were used to measure changes in the processes of care and clinical outcomes: change in diagnosis, change in treatment, and patient clinical improvement. A retrospective review of 223 individual telemedicine patient medical records was conducted. Specialty telemedicine consultations were found to result in changes in diagnoses in 48% of the cases, changes in treatment therapy in 81.6% of the cases, and clinical improvement in 60.1%. These results are consistent with previous literature that has assessed changes in processes of care and outcomes from face-to-face specialty consultations in outpatient clinics. Changes in diagnosis and treatment therapy were found to be associated with clinical improvement with odds ratios (ORs) of 2.66 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47-4.83) and 11.22 (95% CI: 4.49-31.48), respectively. This study found that telemedicine consultations resulted in changes in diagnosis and treatment regimens and also are associated with clinical improvements.",
author = "Marcin, {James P} and Nesbitt, {Thomas S} and Cole, {Stacey L.} and Knuttel, {Robin M.} and Hilty, {Donald M.} and Prescott, {Pamela T} and Daschbach, {Martha M.}",
year = "2005",
month = feb
doi = "10.1089/tmj.2005.11.36",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "11",
pages = "36--43",
journal = "Telemedicine and e-Health",
issn = "1530-5627",
publisher = "Mary Ann Liebert Inc.",
number = "1",
}