Telephone Consultation in Otorhinolaryngology During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: a Cross-sectional Analysis of Effectiveness and Satisfaction for Patients and Clinicians.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated measures to minimise face-to-face interaction. We assessed the efficacy of teleconsultation and patient satisfaction in adult otorhinolaryngology clinic. A prospective review of telephone consultations over 6 months in a single district general hospital was conducted. Data was collected on the characteristics and outcomes of teleconsultations by clinicians, and a questionnaire was sent to patients. Of 304 telephone consultations, 115 were new and 189 were follow-up. Five percent of patients were listed for surgery. The discharge rate was 31%, largely comprising of patients with otorhinolaryngological symptoms. High clinician and patient satisfaction were reported by 90% and 96%, respectively. Telephone consultation was a good one-stop treat and discharge service for a number of otorhinolaryngological complaints such as hearing loss, tinnitus and recurrent tonsillitis. Patient and clinician satisfaction was high. Careful triaging of referrals for telephone consultation can potentially reduce the number of face-to-face clinic appointments.