Video ‘no better than phone’ for cardiology consults
Australian study shows deaths no higher in those who had an appointment by phone
Using phones rather than video to conduct telehealth cardiology consults does not lead to increases in deaths or ED visits for cardiac issues, an Australian study shows.
Cardiologists from Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital compared outcomes in patients who had phone and video consultations between 17 March and 12 August 2020, around the time when Melbourne was in lockdown.
During the period, the hospital executive stipulated that all outpatient services should be carried out via telehealth unless “medically unavoidable”.
A video call using the hospital’s own platform was booked as the default, but patients were told that the planned video consultation could be changed to a telephone call if either they or the treating cardiologist wished.
