According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, diagnosis established through video consultation matched in-person diagnosis in 86.9% of cases.

 

This diagnostic study followed 2393 Mayo Clinic patients who underwent a video consultation followed by a face-to-face outpatient appointment for the same clinical problem within a 90-day window.

 

The diagnosis established during the video consultation and the diagnosis established during a subsequent face-to-face appointment were similar and matched in 86.9% of the cases within the study.

 

However, the diagnostic concordance varied between specialties. The authors of the study confirmed that, “In diagnoses confirmed through clinician opinion, such as many psychiatric diagnoses, there was a significantly greater concordance between video telemedicine diagnosis and in-person diagnosis’’.

 

Whereas, in diagnosing a problem that required traditional physical examination, neurological testing, and pathology, video consultations and in-person diagnoses matched the least.

For example, the study highlighted that concordance was lowest for the specialty of otorhinolaryngology.

 

Additionally, the study demonstrated that video diagnosis in specialty care cases matched face-to-face diagnosis in 88.4% of cases in contrast to 81.3% of cases in primary care.

 

Lastly, for every 10-year increase in a patient’s age, the results showed that odds of diagnostic agreement dropped by 9%.

 

Overall, the researchers concluded that, “These findings suggest that video telemedicine visits to home may be good adjuncts to in-person care”.

 

Source: JAMA Network Open

 

Image Credit: iStock


References:

Demaerschalk BM et al. (2022) Assessment of Clinician Diagnostic Concordance With Video Telemedicine in the Integrated Multispecialty Practice at Mayo Clinic During the Beginning of COVID-19 Pandemic From March to June 2020. 5 (9). 




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Telehealth, Mayo Clinic, Telemedicine, neurological testing According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, diagnosis established through video consultation matched in-person diagnosis in 86.9% of cases.