A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Liane Stein; Hallie Rebecca Benjamin; Daniel Goldshtein; David Newman

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Liane Stein, Hallie Rebecca Benjamin, Daniel Goldshtein, David Newman

Published in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research (Volume 6, Issue 3)

Received: 8 September 2022 Accepted: 26 September 2022 Published: 11 October 2022

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Abstract

To slow the spread of coronavirus-2019, many healthcare providers in Canada transitioned to tele-health in order to treat patients and minimize office visits. We investigated if the type of patient-physician encounter: in-person versus tele-health phone consultation, has an impact on cardiovascular outcome in an outpatient cardiac clinic in Toronto, Ontario. We conducted a comparative cohort study between patients seen in the office and patients who spoke to the physician by phone. Demographic data was collected on both groups regarding, age, symptoms, and cardiac diagnoses. Both sets of patients underwent physiological testing prior to meeting with the physician. Outcome measures included unplanned phone calls or visits, procedures, hospitalizations, and death. Results: 47 patients were seen in the office and 50 patients were seen via tele-health phone consultation. Patients were all non-selected sequential. Metrics of demographic data did not differ between groups regarding age, sex, symptoms (palpitations, dyspnea, syncope, chest pain), and diagnoses (arrythmia, coronary artery disease, devices, valve, heart failure, or cardiomyopathy. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated to compare outcome measures. Unplanned phone calls or visits (OR 1.61, CI 0.72, 3.61), procedures (OR 0.94, CI 0.13, 6.95), hospitalization (OR 0.93, CI 0.03, 2.89), and mortality (OR 0.46, CI 0.04, 5.25). We conclude that cardiovascular outcomes assessed did not differ by type of physician encounter. Both groups saw similar rates of physician intervention and changes to treatment plan. Further research into implications of tele-health on physician and patient satisfaction are needed.

Published in	Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12
Page(s)	86-91
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Tele-medicine, Cardiology, Cardiovascular, Arrythmia

References

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APA Style

Liane Stein, Hallie Rebecca Benjamin, Daniel Goldshtein, David Newman. (2022). A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research, 6(3), 86-91. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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ACS Style

Liane Stein; Hallie Rebecca Benjamin; Daniel Goldshtein; David Newman. A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiol. Cardiovasc. Res. 2022, 6(3), 86-91. doi: 10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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AMA Style

Liane Stein, Hallie Rebecca Benjamin, Daniel Goldshtein, David Newman. A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiol Cardiovasc Res. 2022;6(3):86-91. doi: 10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12,
  author = {Liane Stein and Hallie Rebecca Benjamin and Daniel Goldshtein and David Newman},
  title = {A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic},
  journal = {Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {86-91},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ccr.20220603.12},
  abstract = {To slow the spread of coronavirus-2019, many healthcare providers in Canada transitioned to tele-health in order to treat patients and minimize office visits. We investigated if the type of patient-physician encounter: in-person versus tele-health phone consultation, has an impact on cardiovascular outcome in an outpatient cardiac clinic in Toronto, Ontario. We conducted a comparative cohort study between patients seen in the office and patients who spoke to the physician by phone. Demographic data was collected on both groups regarding, age, symptoms, and cardiac diagnoses. Both sets of patients underwent physiological testing prior to meeting with the physician. Outcome measures included unplanned phone calls or visits, procedures, hospitalizations, and death. Results: 47 patients were seen in the office and 50 patients were seen via tele-health phone consultation. Patients were all non-selected sequential. Metrics of demographic data did not differ between groups regarding age, sex, symptoms (palpitations, dyspnea, syncope, chest pain), and diagnoses (arrythmia, coronary artery disease, devices, valve, heart failure, or cardiomyopathy. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated to compare outcome measures. Unplanned phone calls or visits (OR 1.61, CI 0.72, 3.61), procedures (OR 0.94, CI 0.13, 6.95), hospitalization (OR 0.93, CI 0.03, 2.89), and mortality (OR 0.46, CI 0.04, 5.25). We conclude that cardiovascular outcomes assessed did not differ by type of physician encounter. Both groups saw similar rates of physician intervention and changes to treatment plan. Further research into implications of tele-health on physician and patient satisfaction are needed.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Liane Stein
AU - Hallie Rebecca Benjamin
AU - Daniel Goldshtein
AU - David Newman
Y1 - 2022/10/11
PY - 2022
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12
DO - 10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12
T2 - Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research
JF - Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research
JO - Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research
SP - 86
EP - 91
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2578-8914
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12
AB - To slow the spread of coronavirus-2019, many healthcare providers in Canada transitioned to tele-health in order to treat patients and minimize office visits. We investigated if the type of patient-physician encounter: in-person versus tele-health phone consultation, has an impact on cardiovascular outcome in an outpatient cardiac clinic in Toronto, Ontario. We conducted a comparative cohort study between patients seen in the office and patients who spoke to the physician by phone. Demographic data was collected on both groups regarding, age, symptoms, and cardiac diagnoses. Both sets of patients underwent physiological testing prior to meeting with the physician. Outcome measures included unplanned phone calls or visits, procedures, hospitalizations, and death. Results: 47 patients were seen in the office and 50 patients were seen via tele-health phone consultation. Patients were all non-selected sequential. Metrics of demographic data did not differ between groups regarding age, sex, symptoms (palpitations, dyspnea, syncope, chest pain), and diagnoses (arrythmia, coronary artery disease, devices, valve, heart failure, or cardiomyopathy. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated to compare outcome measures. Unplanned phone calls or visits (OR 1.61, CI 0.72, 3.61), procedures (OR 0.94, CI 0.13, 6.95), hospitalization (OR 0.93, CI 0.03, 2.89), and mortality (OR 0.46, CI 0.04, 5.25). We conclude that cardiovascular outcomes assessed did not differ by type of physician encounter. Both groups saw similar rates of physician intervention and changes to treatment plan. Further research into implications of tele-health on physician and patient satisfaction are needed.
VL - 6
IS - 3
ER -

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Author Information

Liane Stein

Faculty of Arts, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Hallie Rebecca Benjamin

Faculty of Sciences, Queens University, Kingston, Canada
Daniel Goldshtein

Faculty of Medicine, Queens University, Kingston, Canada
David Newman

Department of Cardiology, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, Canada

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APA Style

Liane Stein, Hallie Rebecca Benjamin, Daniel Goldshtein, David Newman. (2022). A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research, 6(3), 86-91. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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ACS Style

Liane Stein; Hallie Rebecca Benjamin; Daniel Goldshtein; David Newman. A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiol. Cardiovasc. Res. 2022, 6(3), 86-91. doi: 10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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AMA Style

Liane Stein, Hallie Rebecca Benjamin, Daniel Goldshtein, David Newman. A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cardiol Cardiovasc Res. 2022;6(3):86-91. doi: 10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12,
  author = {Liane Stein and Hallie Rebecca Benjamin and Daniel Goldshtein and David Newman},
  title = {A Comparative Cohort Study of Cardiac Outcomes in Outpatients Cared for over the Telephone Versus in-Person During the COVID-19 Pandemic},
  journal = {Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {86-91},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ccr.20220603.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ccr.20220603.12},
  abstract = {To slow the spread of coronavirus-2019, many healthcare providers in Canada transitioned to tele-health in order to treat patients and minimize office visits. We investigated if the type of patient-physician encounter: in-person versus tele-health phone consultation, has an impact on cardiovascular outcome in an outpatient cardiac clinic in Toronto, Ontario. We conducted a comparative cohort study between patients seen in the office and patients who spoke to the physician by phone. Demographic data was collected on both groups regarding, age, symptoms, and cardiac diagnoses. Both sets of patients underwent physiological testing prior to meeting with the physician. Outcome measures included unplanned phone calls or visits, procedures, hospitalizations, and death. Results: 47 patients were seen in the office and 50 patients were seen via tele-health phone consultation. Patients were all non-selected sequential. Metrics of demographic data did not differ between groups regarding age, sex, symptoms (palpitations, dyspnea, syncope, chest pain), and diagnoses (arrythmia, coronary artery disease, devices, valve, heart failure, or cardiomyopathy. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated to compare outcome measures. Unplanned phone calls or visits (OR 1.61, CI 0.72, 3.61), procedures (OR 0.94, CI 0.13, 6.95), hospitalization (OR 0.93, CI 0.03, 2.89), and mortality (OR 0.46, CI 0.04, 5.25). We conclude that cardiovascular outcomes assessed did not differ by type of physician encounter. Both groups saw similar rates of physician intervention and changes to treatment plan. Further research into implications of tele-health on physician and patient satisfaction are needed.},
 year = {2022}
}

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