Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations
Source: doi:10.2196/jmir.5221 Backgr ound: The feasibility of telemedicine in diagnosing and treating nonacute headaches, such as primary headaches (migraine and tension-type) and medication-overuse headaches has not been previously investigated. By eliminating the need of travel to specialists, tel...
Published in: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Journal of Medical Internet Research
2016
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/10650 https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5221 |
id |
ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/10650 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700 headache management consultation telemedicine burden cost feasibility randomization rural |
spellingShingle |
VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700 headache management consultation telemedicine burden cost feasibility randomization rural Müller, Kai Ivar Alstadhaug, Karl Bjørnar Bekkelund, Svein Ivar Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
topic_facet |
VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700 headache management consultation telemedicine burden cost feasibility randomization rural |
description |
Source: doi:10.2196/jmir.5221 Backgr ound: The feasibility of telemedicine in diagnosing and treating nonacute headaches, such as primary headaches (migraine and tension-type) and medication-overuse headaches has not been previously investigated. By eliminating the need of travel to specialists, telemedicine may of fer significant time and money savings. Objectives: Our objective was to estimate the acceptance of telemedicine and investigate the feasibility and cost savings of telemedicine consultations in diagnosing and treating nonacute headaches. Methods: From September 2012 to March 2015, nonacute headache patients from Northern Norway who were referred to neurologists through an electronic application system were consecutively screened and randomized to participate in either telemedicine or traditional specialist visits. All patients were consulted by two neurologists at the neurological department in T romsø University Hospital. Feasibility outcomes were compared between telemedicine and traditional groups. Baseline characteristics and costs were then compared between rural and urban patients. T ravel costs were calculated by using the probabilistic method of the Norwegian traveling agency: the cheapest means of public transport for each study participant. Loss of pay was calculated based on the Norwegian full-time employee’ s average salary: < 3.5 hours=a half day’ s salary , > 3.5 hours spent on travel and consultation=one day’ s salary . Distance and time spent on travel were estimated by using Google Maps. Results: Of 557 headache patients screened, 479 were found eligible and 402 accepted telemedicine participation (83.9%, 402/479) and were included in the final analyses. Of these, 202 received traditional specialist consultations and 200 received telemedicine. All patients in the telemedicine group were satisfied with the video quality , and 198 (99%, 198/200) were satisfied with the sound quality . The baseline characteristics as well as headache diagnostics and follow-up appointments, and the investigation, advice, and prescription practices were not statistically dif ferent between the two randomized groups. In addition, telemedicine consultations were shorter than traditional visits (38.8 vs 43.7 min, P <.001). The travel cost per rural individual (292/402, 73%) was €249, and estimated lost income was €234 per visit. The travel cost in the urban area (1 10/402, 27%) was €6, and estimated lost income was €1 17 per visit. The median traveling distance for rural patients was 526 km (range 1892 km), and the median traveling time was 7.8 hours (range 27.3 hours). Rural patients had a longer waiting time than urban patients (64 vs 47 days, P =.001), and fewer women were referred from rural areas ( P =.04). Rural women reported higher pain scores than urban women ( P =.005). Conclusion: Our study shows that telemedicine is an accepted, feasible, time-saving, and cost-saving alternative to traditional specialist consultations for nonacute headaches. T rial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02270177; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02270177 (Archived by W ebCite at http://www .webcitation.or g/6hmoHGo9Q) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Müller, Kai Ivar Alstadhaug, Karl Bjørnar Bekkelund, Svein Ivar |
author_facet |
Müller, Kai Ivar Alstadhaug, Karl Bjørnar Bekkelund, Svein Ivar |
author_sort |
Müller, Kai Ivar |
title |
Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
title_short |
Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
title_full |
Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
title_fullStr |
Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
title_sort |
acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: a randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations |
publisher |
Journal of Medical Internet Research |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/10650 https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5221 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-71.310,-71.310,-69.908,-69.908) |
geographic |
Norway Ravel |
geographic_facet |
Norway Ravel |
genre |
Northern Norway |
genre_facet |
Northern Norway |
op_relation |
Journal of Medical Internet Research Müller KI, Alstadhaug KB, Bekkelund SI Acceptability, Feasibility, and Cost of Telemedicine for Nonacute Headaches: A Randomized Study Comparing Video and Traditional Consultations J Med Internet Res 2016;18(5):e140 FRIDAID 1370883 doi:10.2196/jmir.5221 1438-8871 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/10650 |
op_rights |
openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5221 |
container_title |
Journal of Medical Internet Research |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
e140 |
_version_ |
1766145856681017344 |
spelling |
ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/10650 2023-05-15T17:43:43+02:00 Acceptability, feasibility, and cost of telemedicine for nonacute headaches: A randomized study comparing video and traditional consultations Müller, Kai Ivar Alstadhaug, Karl Bjørnar Bekkelund, Svein Ivar 2016-05-30 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/10650 https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5221 eng eng Journal of Medical Internet Research Journal of Medical Internet Research Müller KI, Alstadhaug KB, Bekkelund SI Acceptability, Feasibility, and Cost of Telemedicine for Nonacute Headaches: A Randomized Study Comparing Video and Traditional Consultations J Med Internet Res 2016;18(5):e140 FRIDAID 1370883 doi:10.2196/jmir.5221 1438-8871 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/10650 openAccess VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700 headache management consultation telemedicine burden cost feasibility randomization rural Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed 2016 ftunivtroemsoe https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5221 2021-06-25T17:55:06Z Source: doi:10.2196/jmir.5221 Backgr ound: The feasibility of telemedicine in diagnosing and treating nonacute headaches, such as primary headaches (migraine and tension-type) and medication-overuse headaches has not been previously investigated. By eliminating the need of travel to specialists, telemedicine may of fer significant time and money savings. Objectives: Our objective was to estimate the acceptance of telemedicine and investigate the feasibility and cost savings of telemedicine consultations in diagnosing and treating nonacute headaches. Methods: From September 2012 to March 2015, nonacute headache patients from Northern Norway who were referred to neurologists through an electronic application system were consecutively screened and randomized to participate in either telemedicine or traditional specialist visits. All patients were consulted by two neurologists at the neurological department in T romsø University Hospital. Feasibility outcomes were compared between telemedicine and traditional groups. Baseline characteristics and costs were then compared between rural and urban patients. T ravel costs were calculated by using the probabilistic method of the Norwegian traveling agency: the cheapest means of public transport for each study participant. Loss of pay was calculated based on the Norwegian full-time employee’ s average salary: < 3.5 hours=a half day’ s salary , > 3.5 hours spent on travel and consultation=one day’ s salary . Distance and time spent on travel were estimated by using Google Maps. Results: Of 557 headache patients screened, 479 were found eligible and 402 accepted telemedicine participation (83.9%, 402/479) and were included in the final analyses. Of these, 202 received traditional specialist consultations and 200 received telemedicine. All patients in the telemedicine group were satisfied with the video quality , and 198 (99%, 198/200) were satisfied with the sound quality . The baseline characteristics as well as headache diagnostics and follow-up appointments, and the investigation, advice, and prescription practices were not statistically dif ferent between the two randomized groups. In addition, telemedicine consultations were shorter than traditional visits (38.8 vs 43.7 min, P <.001). The travel cost per rural individual (292/402, 73%) was €249, and estimated lost income was €234 per visit. The travel cost in the urban area (1 10/402, 27%) was €6, and estimated lost income was €1 17 per visit. The median traveling distance for rural patients was 526 km (range 1892 km), and the median traveling time was 7.8 hours (range 27.3 hours). Rural patients had a longer waiting time than urban patients (64 vs 47 days, P =.001), and fewer women were referred from rural areas ( P =.04). Rural women reported higher pain scores than urban women ( P =.005). Conclusion: Our study shows that telemedicine is an accepted, feasible, time-saving, and cost-saving alternative to traditional specialist consultations for nonacute headaches. T rial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02270177; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02270177 (Archived by W ebCite at http://www .webcitation.or g/6hmoHGo9Q) Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Norway University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive Norway Ravel ENVELOPE(-71.310,-71.310,-69.908,-69.908) Journal of Medical Internet Research 18 5 e140 |