TY - JOUR
T1 - Remote Healthcare Program in Mexico in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Mendoza, Rodolfo Lehmann
AU - Moreno, Gabriela Yanet Cortés
AU - Arredondo, Hilario Ascensión Martinez
AU - Jeanet, Anaya Aguilar Cynthia
AU - Rosales, Pedro Armando Chaidez
AU - Mundo, Ilicia González
AU - Nava, Armando Mejía
AU - Heald, Adrian H.
AU - Ruiz, Miguel Jesús Torres
AU - Rivera, Miguel Félix Mata
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Korean Society of Medical Informatics.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objectives: Given the challenge of limiting the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 while simultaneously continuing to provide medical care for other chronic and degenerative diseases and monitor therapy, a remote medical advice and guidance program was created to help individuals receive health services at their homes. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and observational study was performed from April 13, 2020 to April 19, 2021 among Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) health services beneficiaries. Mobile text messages were used to assign patients throughout Mexico to a doctor, who coordinated a video call with the nursing service for advice and remote care. Results: In total, 17,472 calls were registered, with an average duration of 10.28 minutes. Almost half (49.4%) of the people who requested attention through the remote program were workers, 31.5% were workers’ relatives, and 19.1% were retired workers. The average age of the program users was 50.66 ± 18.02 years. A total of 144 doctors from 28 different specialties participated. In this program, 7,163 calls were made because of respiratory symptoms, 1,514 for therapeutic monitoring (prescriptions), and 8,183 because of other diseases, including mental health. Conclusions: Remote healthcare programs have shown the potential to support the health system. This program is the first to deploy real-time video calls with a health team utilizing institutional electronic clinical records in Mexico. The implementation of this pandemic management program impacted the number of consultations given remotely, resulting in effective triage.
AB - Objectives: Given the challenge of limiting the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 while simultaneously continuing to provide medical care for other chronic and degenerative diseases and monitor therapy, a remote medical advice and guidance program was created to help individuals receive health services at their homes. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and observational study was performed from April 13, 2020 to April 19, 2021 among Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) health services beneficiaries. Mobile text messages were used to assign patients throughout Mexico to a doctor, who coordinated a video call with the nursing service for advice and remote care. Results: In total, 17,472 calls were registered, with an average duration of 10.28 minutes. Almost half (49.4%) of the people who requested attention through the remote program were workers, 31.5% were workers’ relatives, and 19.1% were retired workers. The average age of the program users was 50.66 ± 18.02 years. A total of 144 doctors from 28 different specialties participated. In this program, 7,163 calls were made because of respiratory symptoms, 1,514 for therapeutic monitoring (prescriptions), and 8,183 because of other diseases, including mental health. Conclusions: Remote healthcare programs have shown the potential to support the health system. This program is the first to deploy real-time video calls with a health team utilizing institutional electronic clinical records in Mexico. The implementation of this pandemic management program impacted the number of consultations given remotely, resulting in effective triage.
KW - Information Technology
KW - Mexico
KW - Remote Consultation
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Telemedicine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130879417&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4258/hir.2022.28.2.152
DO - 10.4258/hir.2022.28.2.152
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 35576983
AN - SCOPUS:85130879417
SN - 2093-3681
VL - 28
SP - 152
EP - 159
JO - Healthcare Informatics Research
JF - Healthcare Informatics Research
IS - 2
ER -