Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34091321›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of otolaryngology

Effects of COVID-19 on telemedicine practice patterns in outpatient otolaryngology.

Jennifer N Shehan, Pratima Agarwal, David O'Neil Danis, Melissa Ghulam-Smith, Jacob Bloom, Jacquelyn Piraquive, Lauren F Tracy, Jessica R Levi

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of otolaryngology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. COVID-19 and the resurgence of telehealth in otolaryngology.Operative techniques in otolaryngology--head and neck surgery · 2022
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jennifer N ShehanDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 5th Floor BCD Building, Boston Medical Center, 830 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: Jennifer.shehan@bmc.org.
Pratima AgarwalDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 5th Floor BCD Building, Boston Medical Center, 830 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: Pratima.agarwal@bmc.org.
David O'Neil DanisBoston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: ddanis@bu.edu.
Melissa Ghulam-SmithBoston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: mghulam@bu.edu.
Jacob BloomDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 5th Floor BCD Building, Boston Medical Center, 830 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: Jacob.bloom@bmc.org.
Jacquelyn PiraquiveDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 5th Floor BCD Building, Boston Medical Center, 830 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: Jacquelyn.piraquive@bmc.org.
Lauren F TracyDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 5th Floor BCD Building, Boston Medical Center, 830 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America; Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: Lauren.tracy@bmc.org.
Jessica R LeviDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 5th Floor BCD Building, Boston Medical Center, 830 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America; Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America. Electronic address: Jessica.levi@bmc.org.
Boston Medical Center · USBoston University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveOtolaryngology is considered high risk for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) exposure and spread. This has led to a transition to telemedicine and directly impacts patient volume, evaluation and management practices. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of COVID-19 on patient characteristics in relation to outpatient attendance, ancillary testing, medical therapy, and surgical decision making.

methodsA retrospective case series at an academic medical center was performed. Outpatient appointments from October 2019 (pre-COVID) and March 16-April 10, 2020 (COVID) were analyzed. Prevalence rates and odds ratios were used to compare demographics, visit characteristics, ancillary tests, medication prescribing, and surgical decisions between telemedicine and in-person visits, before and during COVID.

resultsThere was a decrease in scheduled visits during the COVID timeframe, for both in-person and telemedicine visits, with a comparable proportion of no-shows. There was a higher overall percentage of Hispanic/Latino patients who received care during the COVID timeframe (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.07-1.90) in both groups, although primary language was not significantly associated with attendance. There were fewer ancillary tests ordered (OR = 0.54) and more medications prescribed (OR = 1.59) during COVID telemedicine visits compared with pre-COVID in-person visits.

conclusionCOVID-19 has rapidly changed the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine can be used as a tool to reach patients with severe disease burden. Continued healthcare reform, expanded access to affordable care, and efficient use of resources is essential both during the current COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Indexed as

Ambulatory Care FacilitiesOtolaryngologyPractice Patterns, Physicians'TelemedicineAmbulatory CareCOVID-19FemaleHealth Services AccessibilityHumansMaleQuality ImprovementQuality of Health CareRetrospective StudiesCoronavirusCOVID-19Healthcare accessOtolaryngologyQuality-improvementTelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID34091321
PMCPMC8046701
OpenAlexW3156451494

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.