Abstract
The current coronavirus pandemic is changing the way healthcare professionals provide services to patients. Healthcare professionals are required to provide quality care while reducing the risk of viral transmission. This pandemic has disrupted the timely multidisciplinary team care for patients with clefts across the globe. Thus, telemedicine has been recognized and accepted by various medical and dental specialists as a viable alternative to face-to-face consultation. In addition, telemedicine incorporating a digital workflow in cleft management will further reduce the risk of viral transmission and enhance the quality of treatment being provided to these patients.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems around the world
The risk of infection is greater for healthcare professionals due to their close proximity to patients and is magnified in countries where there is a shortage of personal protective equipment [1, 2]
Patients with clefts are typically managed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of healthcare professionals [3]
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems around the world. Patients with clefts are typically managed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of healthcare professionals [3]. These teams are composed of plastic surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists, speech therapists, otolaryngologists, pediatric dental specialists, pediatricians and psychologists [4]. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having a large number of individuals in a confined space is prohibited to reduce the risk of viral transmission. This has led to disruptions in the care of patients with clefts [5]. COVID-19 has posed an obstacle to providing quality MDT care to cleft patients
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