Role of teleneurology in health and social care centres

• Autores: Rebeca Iglesias Barreira, Sandra Albiñana Pérez, Raúl de la Fuente Fernández, Roberto Taboada López, Laura López Sandomingo
• Localización: European journal of clinical pharmacy: atención farmacéutica, ISSN 2385-409X, Vol. 16, Nº. 5, 2014, págs. 5-5
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Background: Telemedicine can contribute towards optimising the health and social care received by institutionalised patients. In this article, we describe the first year results for patients institutionalised in health and social care centres.

    Method: In January 2012, a teleconsulting service was set up in the Neurology Unit of Ferrol University Hospital Complex and in four health and social care centres (HSCC) with the aim of optimising the neurological care received by patients with dementia and/or parkinsonism. A neurologist, a doctor from the HSCC and a specialised pharmacist participated in each teleconsultation. We offer a retrospective analysis of the consultations and actions carried out during the first year of the teleconsulting service.

    Results: Three teleneurology sessions were carried out by each HSCC, with a total of 117 consultations in 87 patients. The mean age was 82 years, and 72.7% of the patients were female. The most frequent consultation was for dementia (58%). A total of 71 medicines were withdrawn (36 of which were anti-dementia drugs), and 33 patients were discharged. Savings over the previous year’s expenditure on anti-dementia drugs amounted to €34,123.10.

    Conclusions: The involvement of a multi-disciplinary team in the teleneurology consultancy has contributed to the rational de-prescribing of medicines, with the subsequent reduction in healthcare costs