Patient Communication and Consultation Experience with Telemedicine in Patients with Movement Dısorders in COVID-19 Pandemic: Its Usability, Benefits and Problems

Nazlı Durmaz Çelik; Müge Kuzu Kumcu; Sabiha Tezcan Aydemir; Serhat Özkan

doi:10.4274/tnd.2021.69851

Nazlı Durmaz Çelik¹, Müge Kuzu Kumcu², Sabiha Tezcan Aydemir³, Serhat Özkan¹

¹Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Eskisehir, Turkey
²Lokman Hekim University, Sincan Ankara Hospital, Clinic of Neurology, Ankara, Turkey
³Ankara Sincan Dr. Nafiz Körez State Hospital, Clinic of Neurology, Ankara, Turkey

Keywords: Tele-medicine applications, movement disorders, teleneurology

Abstract

Objective: Access to health centers was restricted during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, which hit our country in March 2020. Ensuring the medical control of patients who were followed up in the neurology outpatient clinic with the tele-medicine method was an important step to decrease the viral load of patients and physicians. This study aimed to share our tele-medicine experience with patients with movement disorders.

Materials and Methods: The data of 71 patients with movement disorder who communicated with our unit between March 11, 2020 and June 20, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: A total of 117 verbal and written interviews with 71 patients were mostly conducted via WhatsApp®. The evaluation of reasons for physician consultation revealed that patients most frequently communicated for worsening rigidity and prescription-drug requests. Of these interviews, 25 (21.4%) resulted in setting patient appointments for a physical examination. The tele-medicine service in 92 (78.6%) interviews solved the problem without physical contact with patients.

Conclusion: Movement disorder evaluations are suitable through teleconference. Therefore, our teleneurology application, which we actively use, is effective in reducing the risk of viral transmission to both patients and healthcare workers during the pandemic. Developing telemedical applications is necessary in terms of their legal aspects and implementation in the world, especially in our country.