Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Leveraging Telemedicine to Optimize Care While Minimizing Exposures and Viral Transmission

Chauhan, Vivek; Galwankar, Sagar; Arquilla, Bonnie; Garg, Manish; Somma, Salvatore Di; El-Menyar, Ayman; Krishnan, Vimal; Gerber, Joel; Holland, Reuben; Stawicki, Stanislaw P.

In Italy as on March 5 more than 3000 positive cases have been reported, 50% of whom are hospitalized, including 10% in intensive care units with severe respiratory manifestations. Also the mortality in Italy is somewhat higher (107 cases) at around 3.5% and this is probably due to the primary infection clusters that are located in small towns in remote part of North of Italy, far from larger hospitals where the availability of testing for COVID-19 detection is greater. [53] On planetary scale, as the number of documented cases of COVID-19 continues to rise, health officials and providers are exploring virtual care delivery to screen patients for infection away from crowded EDs and provide a safer care alternative for those in isolation after a positive diagnosis. In addition to TMS being beneficial by keeping unaffected individuals safe, including the general public, patients and health workers, another crucial advantage is its ability to provide a powerful "force multiplier" that dramatically extends the reach of caregivers. Medical professionals such as triage nurses and emergency medical technicians can quickly screen larger numbers of patients and lessen the burden on physicians and specialists who can perform remote consults when needed.