title: The use of telemedicine to aid in assessing patients prior to aeromedical retrieval to a tertiary referral centre.
abstract: We evaluated the effect of telemedicine compared with traditional telephone conversations when evaluating patients for aeromedical retrieval. A convenience sample of consecutive patients referred for retrieval from Palm Island over a six-month period was compared retrospectively with patients referred during the previous six months. There was a significant difference (P = 0.014) in the number of patients referred in the telemedicine period (113) compared to the previous six months (78), which may have been a seasonal fluctuation. There was a smaller proportion of aeromedical retrievals in the telemedicine period (78%) compared to the control period (92%), P = 0.009. Other significant differences between the telemedicine and control period included a larger proportion of patients not transferred at all (16% compared to 5%, P = 0.022) and a smaller percentage of rotary flights (52% compared with 73%, P = 0.004). Retrieval coordinators perceived that telemedicine use prevented 10 aeromedical flights and six night flights. The coordinators and referrers felt that telemedicine improved patient care in 75% and 65% of consultations, respectively. The coordinators felt that it improved communication with the referring doctor for 84% of the consultations.
authors.affiliation: Townsville Hospital, 100 Angus Smith Drive, Douglas, Queensland 4814, Australia. katemathews14@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kate A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Elcock
authors.forename: Jeremy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Furyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017732:Air Ambulances; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011793:Queensland; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*