SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2024
Investigating the Use of Telemedicine by Health Care Providers to Diagnose and Manage Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Mobile-Based Digital Rehabilitation Program for Patients After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: Prospective Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies · 2025Article
- Exploration of Implementation and Uses of Telerehabilitation in Physical Therapy in France During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Musculoskeletal care · 2025Article
- Telehealth for the Initial Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorders: Qualitative Study of Patients, Health Care Providers, and Key Stakeholders in the Province of Quebec in Canada.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Review
- Patients' Experience With Evaluation by Both a Musculoskeletal Physician and Physical Therapist in the Same Digital Visit: Survey Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Clinical Efficacy of Telemedicine for Musculoskeletal Conditions in a Medicare Advantage Population.Telemedicine reports · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAccess to care is a major challenge for patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSKDs). Telemedicine is one of the solutions to improve access to care. However, initial remote diagnosis of MSKDs involves some challenges, such as the impossibility of touching the patient during the physical examination, which makes it more complex to obtain a valid diagnosis. No meta-analysis has been performed to date to synthesize evidence regarding the initial assessment including a physical evaluation using telemedicine to diagnose patients with MSKDs.
objectiveThis study aims to appraise the evidence on diagnostic and treatment plan concordance between remote assessment using synchronous or asynchronous forms of telemedicine and usual in-person assessment for the initial evaluation of various MSKDs.
methodsAn electronic search was conducted up to August 2023 using terms related to telemedicine and assessment of MSKDs. Methodological quality of studies was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. Random-effect model meta-analyses were performed. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations framework was used to synthesize the quality and certainty of the evidence.
resultsA total of 23 concordance studies were eligible and included adult participants (N=1493) with various MSKDs. On the basis of high certainty, pooled κ and prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted κ for the diagnostic concordance between remote and in-person assessments of MSKDs were 0.80 (95% CI 0.72-0.89; 7 studies, 353 patients) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.76-0.89; 6 studies, 306 patients). On the basis of moderate certainty, pooled Gwet AC1 for treatment plan concordance between remote and in-person assessments of MSKDs was 0.90 (95% CI 0.80-0.99; 2 studies, 142 patients).
conclusionsThe diagnostic concordance for MSKDs is good to very good. Treatment plan concordance is probably good to excellent. Studies evaluating the accuracy to detect red and yellow flags as well as the potential increase in associated health care resources use, such as imaging tests, are needed.
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