The goal of a new article published in the Journal of Medical Systems discussed that the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a significant strain on medical centers’ resources. Furthermore, this pandemic has radically altered how medical practitioners provide care to patients. 

The authors informed that medical centers are responding to COVID-19 through rapid adoption of digital tools and technologies, such as telemedicine and virtual care—which refer to the delivery of healthcare services digital or at a distance using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for treatment of patients. Telemedicine aims towards delivering timely care while minimizing exposure to protect medical practitioners and patients. 

This article described a rapid literature review including 35 research studies, published between 2019-20, to gather theoretical and practical evidence on the significance of using telemedicine and virtual care for remote treatment of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The findings indicated that the use of telemedicine to provide medical-care is not new. It has been previously utilized to connect with rural areas and deliver medical-care to patients remotely, with satisfactory results. Moreover, telemedicine technology is widely available, low-costand widely accepted by physicians and patients. 

In summary, it was stated that telemedicine provides a safe, accessible, and convenient medical-care.Thus, telemedicine and virtual care can be used to provide needed medical-care to patients during the pandemic and thereafter.

Source: Journal of Medical Systems. 2020; 44(7): 132. Published online 2020 Jun 15. doi: 10.1007/s10916-020-01596-5