Telemedicine During COVID-19 Pandemic: Lesson Learned from the Lazio Region Infectious Diseases and Emergency Department Network
Authors: Maffongelli Gaetano , Bevilacqua Nazario , Vita Serena , Bartoli Tommaso Ascoli , Corpolongo Angela , Benvenuto Domenico , Chiriaco Tiziana , Spiga Giuseppe , Ribaldi Sergio , Zirretta Valentina , Ippolito Giuseppe , Lauria Francesco Nicola , Vaia Francesco , Nicastri Emanuele ,   The COVID Group of the Lazio Region, Massimo Andreoni , Daniele Angelini , Giuliano Bertazzoni , Antonio Betti , Rita Bonfini , Katia Casinelli , Luciano Caterini , Claudia Cedrone , Lorena Cipollone , Fabrizio Cristofari , Simona Curti , Rita Dal Piaz , Paolo Daniele , Ugo Donati , Massimo Fantoni , Enrico Ferri , Francesco Franceschi , Emanuele Gugliemelli , Monica Iorio , Paola Lapiccirella , Marco Lazzaro , Miriam Lichtner , Massimo Magnanti , Flavio Mancini , Luigi Manetti Luca , Mauro Marchili , Alessandro Masella , Maria Mastroianni Claudio , Mario Mellacina , Roberto Miconi , Enrico Mirante , Paolo Nucera , Carla Paganelli , Adolfo Pagnanelli , Maria Petrolino , Gaetano Piccolo Carlo , Michele Pomes , Rocco Pugliese Francesco , Maria Ricciuto Giulio , Filippo Romanelli Antonio , Pia Ruggieri Maria , Paola Saggese Maria , Federica Sambuco , Cinzia Sighieri , Flavio Soleo , Beniamino Susi , Sergio Timpone , Francesco Travaglino , Ettore Urbano ,   The Bed Manager Group at INMI Spallanzani, Antinori Andrea , Abdeddaim Amina , Bartoli Tommaso Ascoli , Baldini Francesco , Bellagamba Rita , Bevilacqua Nazario , Boumis Evangelo , Camici Marta , Capone Alessandro , Caraffa Emanuela , Cataldo Adriana , Cerilli Stefano , Cerva Carlotta , Chinello Pierangelo , Cicalini Stefania , Corpolongo Angela , D′Abramo Alessandra , De Palo Maria Grazia , De Zottis Federico , Di Bari Virginia , Di Gennaro Francesco , D′Offizi Gianpiero , Donno Davide , Faraglia Francesca , Galati Vincenzo , Gagliardini Roberta , Tekle Saba Gebremeskel , Giancola Maria Letizia , Granata Guido , Grilli Elisabetta , Iacomi Fabio , Lepore Luciana , Libertone Raffaella , Loiacono Laura , Mariano Andrea , Mastrorosa Ilaria , Mazzotta Valentina , Mencarini Paola , Mondi Annalisa , Mosti Silvia , Musso Maria , Noto Pasquale , Ottou Sandrine , Palazzolo Claudia , Palmieri Fabrizio , Pareo Carlo , Petrosillo Nicola , Pinnetti Carmela , Ramazzini Paolo Migliorisi , Rianda Alessia , Rosati Silvia , Scorzolini Laura , Taglietti Fabrizio , Taibi Chiara , Tonnarini Roberto , Topino Simone , Vergori Alessandra , Vincenzi Laura , Visco-Comandini Ubaldo , Vittozzi Pietro , Zaccarelli Mauro 
Published: December 2022

Telemedicine and teleconsultation can be powerful and useful tools for patients to hamper the physical barriers to access to health care services during COVID-19 pandemic. We describe the teleconsultation (TC) model in the Lazio Region. It uses a hub-and-spoke network system on geographic regional basis using a web based digital platform, termed ADVICE with the aim to connect regional Emergency Departments (EDs) and Infectious Diseases (ID) acute and critical care settings for patients with acute ID syndrome. Between January 2020 and June 2021, the ADVICE platform received 18.686 TCs: of them, 10838 requests (58%) were for ID TCs in 7996 patients, followed by 2555(13%) requests for trauma, 2286(12%) for acute complex syndrome and 1681 (8%) for Stroke TCs. Three quarter of ID TCs were requested for SARS-COV-2 infection, followed by sepsis management in 7% and tuberculosis in 6%. In 5416 TCs, 68%, diagnostic investigations and therapeutic prescriptions were recommended before admission, in 1941 TCs, 24%, the recommendation was patient admission and in 608 TCs, 7%, was to discharge patient at home. Telemedicine have ensured high-profile consultations for ID patients and during COVID-19 the use of this resource optimized clinical patient management.