Title
The changing trend of teleconsultations during COVID-19 era at a tertiary facility in Tanzania
Document Type
Article
Department
Internal Medicine (East Africa); Imaging and Diagnostic Radiology (East Africa); General Surgery (East Africa)
Abstract
Introduction: the current COVID-19 pandemic has occasioned the increased adoption of telemedicine. This study reports the uptake and trend of a new teleconsultation service in a Tanzanian hospital.
Methods: this is a retrospective observational study that profiled requests for teleconsultations and uptake of the service between April 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020.
Results: two hundred and eighteen telephone inquiries were received over the 3 months. One hundred and sixteen (53.2%) individuals followed through with the teleconsultations. Paediatric (38.8%) and Internal medicine (32.8%) were the subspecialties with the highest number of teleconsultations. In a frame of 3 months, teleconsultation uptake was highest in May and lowest in June.
Conclusion: there was a steady rise and a rapid fall in requests and uptake of teleconsultation services over the period under evaluation. Lack of insurance coverage for teleconsultations was a significant barrier. We propose a re-education and reiteration of the benefits of telemedicine to all stakeholders. This is important for the current era and beyond.
Publication ( Name of Journal)
Pan African Medical Journal
Recommended Citation
Adebayo, P.,
Jusabani, A.,
Mukhtar, M.,
Zehri, A.
(2020). The changing trend of teleconsultations during COVID-19 era at a tertiary facility in Tanzania. Pan African Medical Journal, 35(125).
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_intern_med/115