Authors (including presenting author) :
Lam YY(1), Lam CY(1), Lai SW(1), Yuen WH(1), Chung WY(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Pok Oi Hospital
Introduction :
Number of stable HBV or HCV (with or without anti-viral treatment) and HBV pregnant women with high viral load required public Internal Medicine care among public hospitals is increasing. In the current practice, all the nurse clinical session is face-to-face with the interaction with the patients.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those stable and young hepatitis B patients especially for those mother were unwilling to go to hospital for follow-up. Meanwhile, it is not easy for them to squeeze time for a regular outpatient clinic follow up. As a result, telehealth service is developed to maintain accessibility of clinical care and enhance patient’s outcome and satisfaction.
Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technology to access health care service remotely. It enables healthcare professionals to provide assessment and intervention as part of clinical care without face to face contact with the patient.
Objectives :
1. To standardize and align the assessment, treatment and interventions for telehealth among all public hospitals
Methodology :
The timeframe for the additional telehealth service in current IMSN(Hepatitis):
2022 1Q Kick off the telehealth project for IMSN (Hepatitis)
2022 1Q-2Q GI nurse/POH & PMH worked together with their Associated Consultation to draft the protocol for the telehealth
2022 3Q GI nurse/POH was representative for GIWG and introduced the new service model to the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Sub-specialty Group and tried to get the approval
2022 4Q Revised SOP was approved by the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Sub-specialty Group & GIWG
2023 1Q Local setting for virtual nurse clinic
Drill for the nurse clinic is completed
2023 2Q Ready for use as one of the service model for patient’s choice
Result & Outcome :
It is well-known advantages for the telehealth: cost savings, convenience, easier to fit into your busy schedule. Introduction of telehealth element in current IMSN (Hepatitis) would provide an alternate route to face-to-face consultation, deliver a distance health care in new normal.
