There are many telemedicine applications that lend themselves to orthopaedics, including teleconsultation for diagnosis, treatment, and patient follow-up; virtual rehabilitation; and PROMs collection. 1
In arthroplasty telemedicine has been shown to:
- Facilitate effective pre-op education 1
- Reduce the cost, travel, and consultation times for patient follow-up 1
- Improve patient engagement in their rehabilitation 1
- Deliver equivalent results to conventional in-person rehabilitation when comparing functional outcomes, pain, and quality of life 1
Next steps:
- Virtual orthopaedic examinations must be standardised and validated 1
- Offer user-friendly interfaces that enhance the user experience 1
- Patients must be educated about new remote practices 1
- Clinical pathways must be adapted accordingly 1
- Address regulatory considerations and payment models for telemedicine 1
Please follow this link to the full article, which reviews the application of telemedicine in orthopaedics, and is intended to “encourage orthopaedic surgeons and clinics to design and implement their own telemedicine service.” 1
