Frederic Llordachs i Marquès, MD

Compared with face-to-face consultations, telemedicine has many advantages, including more efficient use of healthcare resources, partial relief of the burden of care, reduced exposure to COVID-19, treatment adjustment, organization of more efficient healthcare circuits and patient empowerment. Ensuring optimal anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation patients is mandatory if we want to reduce the thromboembolic risk. Of note, telemedicine is an excellent option for the long-term management of… Mostrar más

Compared with face-to-face consultations, telemedicine has many advantages, including more efficient use of healthcare resources, partial relief of the burden of care, reduced exposure to COVID-19, treatment adjustment, organization of more efficient healthcare circuits and patient empowerment. Ensuring optimal anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation patients is mandatory if we want to reduce the thromboembolic risk. Of note, telemedicine is an excellent option for the long-term management of atrial fibrillation patients. Moreover, direct oral anticoagulants may provide an added value in telemedicine (versus vitamin K antagonists), as it is not necessary to monitor anticoagulant effect or make continuous dosage adjustments. In this multidisciplinary consensus document, the role of telemedicine in anticoagulation of this population is discussed and practical recommendations are provided. Mostrar menos

Abstract
Background and context: After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), echoed by other international bodies and scientific societies, declared contraceptive and family planning services and supplies essential health services, to be provided to women also during the pandemic. One of the six key actions proposed was to ‘Implement telemedicine using mobile phones and social media as an adjunct to improving information and… Mostrar más

Abstract
Background and context: After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), echoed by other international bodies and scientific societies, declared contraceptive and family planning services and supplies essential health services, to be provided to women also during the pandemic. One of the six key actions proposed was to ‘Implement telemedicine using mobile phones and social media as an adjunct to improving information and access to contraception.
Methods: We review the role of telemedicine in contraceptive counseling up to the present day, and discuss how current information and communication technologies (ICTs) may facilitate counseling and widespread access to effective contraceptive methods.
Results: Experience of the use of telemedicine for contraceptive counseling is scarce, but results show that it is associated with a higher knowledge of contraceptive effectiveness, and a high degree of satisfaction among family planning providers and users. Barriers to the implementation of telemedicine implantation are reviewed, particularly with regard to contraceptive counseling. Current ICTs that might help to provide contraceptive counseling and education are reviewed. The authors seek to evaluate how these technologies might be used to provide information and advice based on the needs expressed by women and their eligibility for certain methods of contraception.
Conclusion: To date, the use of telemedicine for contraceptive counseling has been limited. Efforts should be made to reshape the provision of contraceptive counseling using current ICTs. Mostrar menos