Assessment of offline teleconsultations carried out at primary care units in Belo Horizonte in 2008
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Abstract
In 2004, the City Health Department of Belo Horizonte together with the School of Medicine of the Federal University of Minas Gerais
implemented the BHTelehealth Program with the aim of improving the quality and the resolution capability of Primary Care. BHTelehealth
allowed healthcare professionals at Primary Healthcare Units (UBS) to have access and to interact with specialists through
one of its activities: teleconsultation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the use and the result of offline teleconsultations carried out
in 2008. The qualitative-quantitative methodology was used to verify the frequency of use of the service available and its distribution
around Healthcare Districts and the specialties consulted. In addition, the action taken by the requiring physician after the teleconsultation
was also assessed. A total of 257 offline teleconsultations were carried out, with the South Center District accounting for
45.7% of them. Cardiology was the specialty with more consultations (18.4%), followed by endocrinology (11.6%), and neurology
(10.1%). In 47 offline teleconsultations, information from the databank was enough for analyzing its result on the action taken by the
requiring physician in terms of propedeutics, therapeutics and referrals to secondary care. In 51.1%, referral was not necessary; in
21.3%, there was referral but with drug therapy indication, general care and medical exams taken at the Primary Healthcare Unit; in
10.6% patients were referred because they needed high cost medical exams or secondary level therapeutic procedures. In 17% a
new consultation was necessary. The conclusion reached was that telehealth has contributed to improve the resolution capability
of Primary Healthcare, although there is still the need to further improve and to extend its use. In this regard, some proposals were
made to adjust the program, even with the aim of qualifying the information within the BHTelehealth System.
implemented the BHTelehealth Program with the aim of improving the quality and the resolution capability of Primary Care. BHTelehealth
allowed healthcare professionals at Primary Healthcare Units (UBS) to have access and to interact with specialists through
one of its activities: teleconsultation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the use and the result of offline teleconsultations carried out
in 2008. The qualitative-quantitative methodology was used to verify the frequency of use of the service available and its distribution
around Healthcare Districts and the specialties consulted. In addition, the action taken by the requiring physician after the teleconsultation
was also assessed. A total of 257 offline teleconsultations were carried out, with the South Center District accounting for
45.7% of them. Cardiology was the specialty with more consultations (18.4%), followed by endocrinology (11.6%), and neurology
(10.1%). In 47 offline teleconsultations, information from the databank was enough for analyzing its result on the action taken by the
requiring physician in terms of propedeutics, therapeutics and referrals to secondary care. In 51.1%, referral was not necessary; in
21.3%, there was referral but with drug therapy indication, general care and medical exams taken at the Primary Healthcare Unit; in
10.6% patients were referred because they needed high cost medical exams or secondary level therapeutic procedures. In 17% a
new consultation was necessary. The conclusion reached was that telehealth has contributed to improve the resolution capability
of Primary Healthcare, although there is still the need to further improve and to extend its use. In this regard, some proposals were
made to adjust the program, even with the aim of qualifying the information within the BHTelehealth System.
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