Telemedicine Consultations in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Abstract

Aim: To study the possibilities of using telemedicine consultations in the work of an obstetrician-gynecologist. Design: Retrospective case series. Materials and methods. An analysis of 319 doctor — patient telemedicine consultations conducted by obstetricians-gynecologists of the MD Medical Group “Mother and Child” was carried out. Each consultation was characterized by 7 parameters: the format of communication, the relevance of the topic of the question to the profile of “obstetrics and gynecology”, the motivation to consult with a doctor remotely, the patient's complaints, the type of the follow-up medical care required and its urgency, the possibility to complete the consultation without a mandatory visit to a face-to-face appointment. Results. 313 (98.1%) consultations had the subject of obstetrics, gynecology or reproduction. Most often (210; 61.7%) patients wanted to receive a preliminary consultation to determine the need for face-to-face visit to the doctor. The most common issues for consultation (100; 31.9%) were topics related to the management of pregnancy. The vast majority of requests (296; 94.6%) did not require an emergency call for an ambulance or an urgent visit to a doctor. In 148 (47.3%) consultations, the consultant's qualification allowed answering all questions, but despite this, according to the Russian Federation legislation, it was recommended to consult a doctor face-to-face. Conclusion. With a systematic approach to the introduction of telemedicine consultations, their effectiveness may not be lower compared to the effectiveness of similar traditional visits with comparable safety and significant savings in resources for both the patient and the healthcare system as a whole. Keywords: telemedicine, telemedicine consultations.