Recommendations on the intervention of patients with rheumatological diseases by telemedicine in Colombia

• Published in: Revista Colombiana de Reumatología (English Edition) 2024-01, Vol.31 (1), p.68-79
• Main Authors: Hormaza Jaramillo, Andres, Arredondo, Ana, Forero, Elias, Herrera, Sebastian, Ochoa, Carlos, Arbeláez-Cortés, Álvaro, Fernández Aldana, Andres Ricardo, Rodríguez, Andrea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Enfermedades reumáticas; Rheumatic diseases; Telemedicina; Telemedicine; Telerheumatology; Telerreumatología
• ISSN: 2444-4405; 2444-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rcreue.2022.06.002

Telemedicine, defined as the provision of remote health services by health professionals using Information and Communication Technologies, has been adopted in healthcare in Colombia. To establish recommendations for the implementation and management of telemedicine in clinical practice for rheumatological diseases in Colombia The recommendations were made in 3 phases. Phase 1 was based on an extended review and a systematic review of the literature. Phase 2 consisted of the selection of attributes and components based on the extended review to delimit the framework of the recommendations using the Delphi method. In phase 3, a group of experts, based on the systematic review, the selected attributes and components, and individual experience made recommendations through a nominal group. The framework of recommendations comprised 9 attributes and 26 components. A group of 7 rheumatologists in 4 cities of the country was formed. The nominal group drafted the final recommendations through 3 rounds according to the recommendations with a high priority rating. This document contains recommendations for effective telemedicine healthcare for rheumatological diseases in Colombia. To establish effective telemedicine healthcare, it is necessary to evaluate different possible forms of care, the convenience of using telemedicine according to the clinical-cultural and sociodemographic profile of the patient, the access and implementation capacity of the different technological tools, and the exhaustive analysis of the barriers and facilitators to its adoption. La telemedicina, definida como la provisión de servicios de salud a distancia por profesionales de la salud que usan tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, ha sido adoptada como modalidad de atención en Colombia. Generar recomendaciones para la implementación y el manejo de telemedicina en la práctica clínica para enfermedades reumatológicas en Colombia. Las recomendaciones se establecieron en 3 fases. La fase 1 consistió en una revisión ampliada y una revisión sistemática de la literatura. En la fase 2 se seleccionaron atributos y componentes basados en la revisión ampliada para delimitar el marco de las recomendaciones utilizando metodología Delphi. En la fase 3, un grupo de expertos, de acuerdo con la revisión sistemática, los atributos y componentes seleccionados y la experiencia individual hizo las recomendaciones mediante un grupo nominal. El marco de recomendaciones estuvo constituido con 9 atribut