Telemedicine Evaluation and Techniques in Hand Surgery

Van Nest, Duncan S.; Ilyas, Asif M.; Rivlin, Michael

Abstract The demand for telemedicine has been increasing over the past several years with the growth of technology and digital connectivity in our daily lives. With the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine implementation has become a necessity for many specialties as social distancing measures have greatly impacted access to routine medical care. This article presents a detailed and systematic approach to conducting a hand physical examination during a video telemedicine encounter. While the telemedicine physical examination presents its limitations, most components of the normal physical examination can be completed remotely with a systematic approach. We enumerate modifications to maximize examination remotely and present considerations for improved delivery of telemedicine care. These methods may be beneficial to providers incorporation telemedicine into their practice.