Telemedicine in Pediatric Respiratory Care: Benefits, Challenges, and Future Directions
 
Amirah Faihan Alotaibi*
Respiratory Therapist in Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, KSA
Email: Afalotaibi@psmmc.med.sa
Abstract - This study explores the impact of telemedicine on pediatric respiratory care, focusing on its benefits, challenges, and future directions. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving 150 pediatric patients with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma and cystic fibrosis, who were randomly assigned to either telemedicine or traditional care groups. The telemedicine group used a digital platform for video consultations, remote monitoring, and health management over a 12-month period. Quantitative data on clinical outcomes, including emergency department visits and hospitalizations, were collected from electronic health records, while patient-reported outcomes were assessed through surveys. Qualitative data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with patients and caregivers. Results indicated that the telemedicine group experienced significantly fewer emergency visits and hospitalizations, higher quality of life scores, better treatment adherence, and greater patient satisfaction compared to the traditional care group. Average oxygen saturation and peak flow rates were also higher in the telemedicine group, and more frequent monitoring alerts were noted.
Keywords : Telemedicine, Pediatric respiratory care, Chronic respiratory conditions, Remote monitoring, Patient outcomes, Healthcare technology
INTRODUCTION
A fundamental development in medical exercise is the use of telemedicine into paediatric breathing care, which offers a platform that facilitates sufferers and healthcare experts talk. Using telecommunication generation to offer healthcare services and facts is referred to as telemedicine. It has shown to be mainly beneficial in treating children's continual respiration diseases along with cystic fibrosis and bronchial asthma. Telemedicine's accessibility and convenience make it possible to provide paediatric respiration treatment this is crucial to timely interventions and ongoing tracking. According to research, telemedicine can help paediatric sufferers with breathing problems acquire higher care common, enjoy fewer medical institution hospitalisations, and feature higher affected person effects (Lee et al., 2020).
Greater get entry to to specialised care is one of the foremost blessings of telemedicine in paediatric respiration care. It is probably difficult for plenty youngsters to get in contact with paediatric pulmonologists, especially folks who live in underserved or rural locations. Children not ought to tour wonderful distances to acquire professional consultations due to the fact to telemedicine, which eliminates geographical regulations. This is specifically important for the management of continual ailments and routine test-ups, which call for numerous trips to the expert. Telemedicine consultations were related to higher sickness control and affected person delight in paediatric respiratory treatment, in keeping with a have a look at with the aid of Smith et al. (2019).
Real-time respiratory status tracking and control is some other gain of telemedicine. Healthcare experts can screen patients' breathing characteristics in actual time, together with oxygen saturation and height go with the flow prices, by using the usage of remote monitoring device. By detecting exacerbations early and acting quickly, this non-stop monitoring may be capable of ward off extreme issues. Additionally, telemedicine systems often contain self-control gear and educational substances, allowing households to actively participate in their child's treatment (Davis Clark, 2021).
Telemedicine in paediatric respiratory care has many advantages, however it also has drawbacks. The digital hole, which refers to differences in get right of entry to to net and generation, is one primary obstacle which can reduce the efficacy of telemedicine offerings. It's possible that households from low-profits origins or individuals who live in distant places lack the gadgets or dependable internet connectivity wanted to participate in telemedicine consultations. Furthermore, because bodily examinations and several diagnostic processes can not be finished remotely, there are worries regarding the high-quality of care supplied through telemedicine. Another vital difficulty that ought to be resolved is guaranteeing the confidentiality and privateness of affected person statistics (Chang et al., 2022).
In order to enhance provider shipping, telemedicine in paediatric respiratory care will want to deal with those troubles within the future and take gain of era improvements. Telemedicine structures can enjoy the integration of improvements like artificial intelligence and gadget mastering, that could offer personalised treatment plans and predictive analytics. In order to provide honest get entry to to and price for telemedicine offerings, regulations and policies must to be revised to facilitate the broad use of telemedicine. To fully understand the capability of telemedicine in enhancing paediatric breathing remedy, persisted observe and cooperation between legislators, era developers, and healthcare experts are required (Hoffman Rosenfeld, 2021).
The aim of this study is to analyze how telemedicine impacts paediatric respiratory treatment, with an emphasis on the blessings, problems, and capacity packages. This work is crucial because it sheds mild on how telemedicine can enhance the way kid's persistent breathing sicknesses are controlled, making treatment more convenient and powerful. This look at addresses the urgent want for innovative solutions in paediatric healthcare by way of assessing the efficacy of telemedicine in enhancing affected person outcomes, expanding get entry to to specialized care, and permitting actual-time tracking. This paintings is significant because it has the ability to improve medical practices, direct the advent of telemedicine technology, and provide guidance for healthcare regulations—all of that could lead to extra equitable healthcare shipping and higher control of paediatric breathing problems.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The effectiveness and disadvantages of telemedicine in enhancing paediatric respiration treatment were nicely-documented in in advance studies. Early studies on using telemedicine in handling chronic sicknesses produced encouraging findings approximately higher patient outcomes and provider accessibility. Mendez et al. (2018) conducted a groundbreaking look at that confirmed telemedicine consultations for youngsters with bronchial asthma appreciably decreased sanatorium remains and ER visits. The effects of the study spotlight how telemedicine may assist with infection control by means of imparting set off scientific attention and continuing guide—two matters which can be essential for dealing with persistent respiration issues like asthma.
These results have been furthered by way of other research that regarded into specific telemedicine programs and the way they affect affected person care. For example, Johnson et al.'s (2020) look at appeared into using far off monitoring gear for youngsters with cystic fibrosis. The early analysis of exacerbations and adherence to remedy protocols have been determined to be substantially enhanced with the aid of the continuous tracking of respiration function by telemedicine, according to the have a look at. Improved clinical effects and shorter clinic stays have been the consequences of this strategy's capacity to provide more spark off and individualised cures. One good sized development in the remedy of complicated breathing issues is the combination of telemedicine platforms with faraway tracking.
The research does, but, additionally factor out a number of difficulties with telemedicine in paediatric breathing remedy. The digital divide is a full-size difficulty that has an impact at the usefulness and accessibility of telemedicine offerings. Disparities in net connectivity and technological get admission to can make it extra hard to apply telemedicine, mainly in underprivileged regions, declare Brown and Green (2021). Their research highlights the want for focused tactics to put off these limitations and assure that all sufferers can take gain of the advances in telemedicine. Maximising the blessings of telemedicine and attaining equitable healthcare transport rely upon addressing these limitations.
Concerns had been expressed concerning the quality of care introduced through telemedicine in addition to accessibility troubles. Patel et al.'s review from 2022 assessed telemedicine's efficacy in comparison to traditional in-person consultations. The evaluation concluded that although telemedicine is beneficial for monitoring chronic illnesses and providing follow-up care, it isn't always suitable for carrying out bodily exams and positive diagnostic processes. This limit emphasises how crucial it's miles to combine telemedicine with in-person visits as required so that it will provide entire care. In order to strike a stability among convenience and remedy nice, the review emphasises the need of continual assessment of telemedicine practices.
Looking in advance, a number of feasible options for enhancing telemedicine in paediatric breathing remedy are counseled by recent studies. The opportunity of the use of system mastering and synthetic intelligence into telemedicine systems to enhance customized care and predictive analytics is investigated via Lee and Nguyen's research (2023). According to the have a look at, these technology have the ability to decorate patient results even similarly by way of offering customised treatment regimens and extra particular danger assessments. Furthermore, coverage and regulatory modifications are vital to remove present obstacles and encourage the vast use of telemedicine. Maximising the benefits of telemedicine for paediatric respiratory treatment might require cooperation between researchers, clinicians, and legislators.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Design: In order to evaluate the effect of telemedicine on paediatric respiration treatment, this research used a mixed-techniques layout that combines quantitative and qualitative strategies. Over a 12-month period, a cohort of paediatric patients with persistent respiratory illnesses become followed up on, and the effects have been evaluated using data accrued each earlier than and after the intervention. While affected person and carer interviews produced qualitative records, quantitative information became obtained through patient surveys and electronic fitness facts.
Participants: 55 paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis, allergies, or different persistent respiratory diseases were protected inside the look at. A telemedicine intervention group or a fashionable in-character care group was randomly assigned to individuals, who were selected from massive paediatric hospitals. A analysis of a chronic breathing ailment, age among five and 18 years, and dad or mum permission have been inclusion criteria.
Telemedicine Platform: An integrated health control machine, video consultations, and faraway monitoring gear have been all part of the large virtual platform that become used for the telemedicine intervention. Wearable technology changed into utilised by patients in the telemedicine organization to screen respiratory parameters like oxygen saturation and top flow prices. Healthcare carriers received real-time information transmissions from those devices for ongoing commentary and feedback.
Data collection: Electronic fitness information were used to gather quantitative information on clinical effects, consisting of the frequency of health center remains and ER visits. Additionally, standardised surveys that had been given at baseline, six months, and 365 days evaluated affected person-suggested outcomes, such as first-rate of existence and adherence to treatment tactics. Semi-based interviews with patients and carers on their reports with telemedicine have been used to gather qualitative facts.
Data Analysis: To evaluate medical consequences between the telemedicine and trendy care groups, quantitative data have been analysed using statistical tools. While inferential information, such t-assessments and chi-square tests, were utilised to evaluate differences in outcomes, descriptive facts were utilised to summarise affected person demographics and treatment adherence. Thematic evaluation become used to look at qualitative information from interviews with a view to locate routine topics and valuable statistics approximately the telemedicine enjoy.
Ethical Considerations: The institutional evaluate forums of the participating hospitals gave their acclaim for the study. All participants and their guardians gave their informed consent. The observe made certain that affected person information changed into anonymised and securely stored by means of abiding by means of moral criteria for information safety and confidentiality. Throughout the examine, audits have been completed on a ordinary basis to verify that ethical standards were being observed.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1: Patient Demographics and Baseline Characteristics
Characteristic
Telemedicine Group (n=75)
Traditional Care Group (n=75)
p-value
Age (mean ± SD)
10.2 ± 3.4
10.1 ± 3.5
0.75
Gender (Male %)
50%
48%
0.80
Diagnosis (Asthma %)
60%
62%
0.82
Diagnosis (Cystic Fibrosis %)
40%
38%
0.75
Socioeconomic Status (Low Income %)
30%
32%
0.78
 
Table 1 demonstrates that there are no statistically significant variations in age, gender distribution, or diagnostic rates between the patient demographics and baseline characteristics in the telemedicine and standard treatment groups. The numbers of patients with cystic fibrosis and asthma in both groups were comparable, as was their socioeconomic standing. There are no discernible differences in the groups' demographic composition, as the p-values for all comparisons are significantly higher than the conventional significance level of 0.05.
Table 2: Frequency of Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations
Outcome
Telemedicine Group (n=75)
Traditional Care Group (n=75)
p-value
Emergency Department Visits (mean ± SD)
1.2 ± 0.8
2.5 ± 1.1
<0.01
Hospitalizations (mean ± SD)
0.8 ± 0.6
1.7 ± 0.9
<0.01
 
Table 2 presents statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) in both emergency department visits and hospitalisations between the telemedicine and traditional care groups. The telemedicine group experienced considerably fewer visits to the emergency room and hospitalisations.
Table 3: Patient-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life
Measure
Telemedicine Group (n=75)
Traditional Care Group (n=75)
p-value
Quality of Life Score (mean ± SD)
75.5 ± 8.2
68.3 ± 9.1
<0.05
Treatment Adherence (%)
85%
70%
<0.01
Patient Satisfaction (mean ± SD)
4.5 ± 0.7
3.8 ± 0.9
<0.05
 
Table 3 suggests that, in comparison to the usual care organization, the telemedicine group suggested considerably improved great of life ratings, better treatment adherence, and extra patient satisfaction; all of these differences have been statistically extensive (p<0.05).
Table 4: Remote Monitoring Data
Parameter
Telemedicine Group (n=75)
Traditional Care Group (n=75)
p-value
Average Oxygen Saturation (%) (mean ± SD)
95.2 ± 1.5
93.8 ± 1.8
<0.01
Peak Flow Rate (L/min) (mean ± SD)
350 ± 40
325 ± 45
<0.05
Number of Monitoring Alerts (mean ± SD)
4.1 ± 2.3
2.6 ± 1.9
<0.01
 
Table 4 presents statistically significant (p < 0.05) changes in average oxygen saturation, peak flow rates, and number of monitoring warnings between the telemedicine and standard care groups.
Table 5: Qualitative Insights from Patient and Caregiver Interviews
Theme
Frequency of Mention (%)
Description
Convenience of Telemedicine
80%
Participants valued reduced travel time and easier access to care.
Satisfaction with Communication
75%
Positive feedback on the ease of communication with healthcare providers.
Technology Barriers
30%
Issues with device compatibility and internet connectivity were noted.
Impact on Care Adherence
70%
Improved adherence to treatment plans reported due to regular monitoring.
Desire for In-Person Visits
40%
Some participants preferred occasional in-person visits for comprehensive care.
 
Table 5 shows that most contributors had been thrilled with the ease of use and stronger conversation that telemedicine offered, with 80% and 75% of them presenting good comments, respectively. However, 40% nevertheless favored sporadic in-person visits for comprehensive treatment, and 30% encountered technological impediments.
DISCUSSION
By lowering ER visits and medical institution stays, telemedicine has the ability to substantially decorate paediatric respiratory remedy, as proven by way of the study's findings. Our findings are steady with in advance research displaying telemedicine can improve illness management and reduce the need for acute remedy. For example, Mendez et al. (2018) discovered that paediatric bronchial asthma sufferers who used telemedicine experienced comparable decreases in emergency room visits and clinic stays, demonstrating the usefulness of this approach within the remedy of lengthy-term respiration problems. The conclusion that telemedicine can be a treasured alternative for conventional in-character care by way of permitting short interventions and continuous monitoring is supported through the regular reduction in those results throughout numerous trials.
Our examine suggests that the telemedicine institution had progressed treatment adherence, greater satisfactory of lifestyles rankings, and higher patient satisfaction with regards to affected person-said effects. These effects are in line with the ones of Johnson et al. (2020), who located that using telemedicine for cystic fibrosis management elevated patient pride and adherence. The look at findings endorse that regular far flung tracking and help via telemedicine structures may also have contributed to the advanced adherence and pleasant of existence. This is consistent with in advance research demonstrating the useful consequences of ongoing patient engagement with healthcare providers (Patel et al., 2022).
The study does, however, additionally draw interest to certain essential difficulties, including the necessity of sporadic in-person conferences and technological boundaries. The concerns raised with the aid of 30% of contributors regarding tool compatibility and connectivity are regular with those raised with the aid of Brown and Green (2021), who discovered similar implementation barriers for telemedicine. Moreover, 40% of members indicated that they preferred in-character consultations, which highlights the limitations of telemedicine in phrases of presenting complete care. Even though telemedicine has many benefits, those results suggest that, as Chang et al. (2022) have referred to, an included strategy combining telemedicine and in-person visits may be required to address the constraints and provide full affected person care.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study demonstrates that telemedicine can significantly enhance pediatric respiratory care by reducing emergency department visits and hospitalizations, improving quality of life, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction. These benefits highlight the effectiveness of telemedicine in managing chronic respiratory conditions through continuous monitoring and timely interventions. However, challenges such as technology barriers and the necessity for occasional in-person visits remain, indicating that a hybrid approach integrating telemedicine with traditional care may be the most effective strategy. This study's findings align with and build upon previous research, emphasizing the potential of telemedicine to transform pediatric healthcare while also underscoring the need to address existing limitations to ensure equitable and comprehensive care for all patients.
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