Open AccessOutcomes of a Student-Led Telemedicine Clinic in Response to COVID-19
Author(s) -
Elliot H. Akama-Garren,
Shivani A. Shah,
Aniket N. Zinzuwadia,
Andrew Bartuska,
M. Hashimoto,
Jacqueline T. Chu,
Gina Kruse,
Marya J. Cohen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the journal of ambulatory care management/journal of ambulatory care management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.639
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1550-3267
pISSN - 0148-9917
DOI - 10.1097/jac.0000000000000380
Subject(s) - telemedicine , covid-19 , triage , pandemic , medicine , test (biology) , health care , retrospective cohort study , telehealth , medline , medical emergency , emergency medicine , family medicine , disease , virology , paleontology , outbreak , political science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law , economics , biology , economic growth
In response to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we developed and launched a student-led telemedicine program in Chelsea. From April to November 2020, over 200 student volunteers contacted over 1000 patients to assess COVID-19 symptoms, provide counseling, and triage patients. Through a retrospective cohort study, we determined that student triage decision was associated with patient outcomes, including hospitalization status, COVID-19 test administration, and COVID-19 test result. These results quantify the outcomes of a student-led telemedicine clinic to combat the ongoing pandemic and may serve as a model for implementation of similar clinics to alleviate mounting health care system burden.