COVID-19 and the resurgence of telehealth in otolaryngology

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Telemedicine
• Public Health

Background:

• The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated rapid adoption of remote healthcare solutions.
• Maintaining patient care in Otolaryngology became challenging due to physical distancing requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth utilization in Otolaryngology.
• To assess the role of telemedicine in managing various head and neck pathologies during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature and clinical practices regarding telehealth in Otolaryngology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Analysis of telemedicine applications for conditions such as dysphonia, vertigo, and anosmia.
• Evaluation of innovative remote examination techniques, including video-otoscopy.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine use in Otolaryngology surged during the pandemic to ensure continuity of care.
• Telehealth facilitated the evaluation of diverse patient conditions while enabling physical separation.
• At-home examination tools like video-otoscopy helped overcome physical examination limitations.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth has proven effective in Otolaryngology, addressing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The integration of telemedicine is likely to persist in the post-pandemic era.
• Telemedicine offers significant potential for enhancing clinical efficiency in Otolaryngology.