Infectious disease teleconsultative support of deployed healthcare providers.
Specialty teleconsultation is being provided to deployed healthcare providers in the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the use of the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) e-mail service. We reviewed 374 teleconsults received by the infectious disease (ID) service between January 2005 and June 2008. The patients were 65% male, 12% female, 33% the gender was not stated or the consult did not involve an individual, and 41% were U.S. Army. The average response time was under 5 hours. Ninety-one percent of consults originated from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Consults included questions pertaining to therapy (42%), diagnosis (21%), prevention (13%), or mixed categories (24%). Bacterial infections were the most common (32%), followed by parasitic infections (16%). Tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 13% and 8% of consults, respectively. Data from this program should be useful in focusing predeployment provider training. It also provides the military ID community situational awareness of problems encountered in theater.
Morgan
Ana E
AE
Brooke Army Medical Center, 3851 Roger Brooke Drive, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA.
Lappan
Charles M
CM
Fraser
Susan L
SL
Hospenthal
Duane R
DR
Murray
Clinton K
CK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D019114:Remote Consultation; D014481:United States