Improvement in patient and medical staff safety by using telemedicine capabilities in cardiology

Abstract

Introduction and objective Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Poland and worldwide. Medical services together with telemedicine provide complex health care for patients with cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study is to analyze the use of telemedicine options for reimbursed cardiac services between 2018–2021. Material and methods From the database of the National Health Fund (the sole public payer of health services), teleconsultations between primary care physicians (PCPs, specialists, stationary consultations of primary care physicians with a cardiologist, and hybrid cardiac telerehabilitation were identified. Analysis was based on the number, age and gender of patients, as well as p;rovincial health centres. Results The largest number of teleconsultations of primary care physicians were with acardiologists, accounting for 25% of telemedicine consultations, 96% of which involved patients living in an area with 5–10 000 healthcare beneficiaries. Only 21% of all consultations between the primary care physicians and the cardiologists were stationary consultations. Hybrid cardiac telerehabilitation involved patients from 13 provincial centres (VCs), with the highest number of services recorded in the 60–64 age group. Conclusions Telemedicine services are the main means of consultation between specialists and primary care. physicians. An increasing trend in the use of hybrid cardiac telerehabilitation was found.

Keywords

• telemedicine
• primary health
• teleconsultation
• telecardiology
• cardiovascular disease