The use of remote care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic - a perspective of Portuguese and Spanish physicians.

Jácome, C; Pereira, A M; Amaral, R; Alves-Correia, M; Almeida, R; Mendes, S; Almeida Fonseca, J; Inspirers, G

Summary This study aimed to characterise how the follow-up of outpatients was done during the first months of COVID-19 pandemic by a multidisciplinary group of physicians involved in an asthma mHealth project. A cross-sectional study based on a web survey was conducted. The survey was sent to 123 physicians working at secondary care centres of Portugal and Spain, that participate in the INSPIRERS project. A total of 65 physicians completed the survey (53% response rate). They had a mean of 18 (11) years of clinical practice and 14% were residents. More than half were allergists (58%), 22% pulmonologists and 20% paediatricians. Most were working in Portugal (89%) and in public hospitals (88%). All were conducting consultations: 71% presential (median [p 25 ,75] duration 30 [20, 30] min), 91% telephonic (15 [10, 20] min) and 20% video consultations (20[10, 28]min). The median duration of presential consultations was significantly higher than pre-COVID-19 (20 [20, 30]min; p = 0.021). From the physicians conducting video consultations, 92% were allergists and only 54% considered that their institution provided adequate conditions. The physicians of the INSPIRERS group used telephonic consultations as the main alternative to presential ones and 1/5 used video consultations. These results suggest the need to rethink clinical follow-up services for outpatients in the near future increasing the use of telemedicine, especially video consultations.