Virtual Cardiology: Past, Present, Future Directions, and Considerations.

Abstract

Through this review, we attempt to explore the role of telemedicine and virtual visits in the field of cardiology pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 pandemic, their limitations and their future scope for delivery of care. Telemedicine, which rose to prominence during COVID-19 pandemic, helped not only in reducing the burden on the healthcare system during a time of crisis but also in improving patient outcomes. Patients and physicians also favored virtual visits when feasible. Virtual visits were found to have the potential to be continued beyond the pandemic and play a significant role in patient care alongside conventional face-to-face visits. Although tele-cardiology has proven beneficial in terms of patient care, convenience, and access, it comes with its fair share of limitations-both logistical and medical. Whilst there remains a great scope for improvement in the quality of patient care provided through telemedicine, it has shown the potential to become an integral part of medical practice in the future. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12170-023-00719-0.