Telemedicine video observations were found to be as reliable as bedside observations in the assessment of children with fever and children with respiratory distress.
Researchers in an urban pediatric emergency department assessed the reliability of telemedicine using a commercially available computer tablet device (Apple iPad [720 HD, fourth generation] with FaceTime application) to assess seriously ill children. They compared agreement between simultaneous bedside and telemedicine evaluations of 132 infants and children with fever (age range, 2 to 35 months) and 145 infants and children (age range, 2 months to 18 years) with respiratory symptoms. Observers used the validated Yale Observation Scale to evaluate febrile children and the Respiratory Observation Checklist to evaluate children with respiratory symptoms.
The bedside and telemedicine observers had strong agreement for predicting serious illness…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Center for Pediatric Practice Based Research Learning; Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Editorial BoardsCurrent Problems in Pediatric Adolescent Healthcare
Leadership Positions in Professional Societies College of Physicians of Philadelphia (Board of Trustees)
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Center for Pediatric Practice Based Research Learning; Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Editorial BoardsCurrent Problems in Pediatric Adolescent Healthcare
Leadership Positions in Professional Societies College of Physicians of Philadelphia (Board of Trustees)