Telemedicine in routine gastroenterology practice: A boost during the COVID ‐19 pandemic

摘要: Telehealth has been defined by the American Telemedicine Association as technology‐enabled healthcare management and delivery systems that enable capacity access 1 Both “telemedicine” “telehealth” are terms have used interchangeably in practice, but there differences between them 2,3 refers to a technology facilitated service, through exchange of medical information from one source another [ ]a form telemedicine, Project ECHO, had initiated United States early 2003, provide tele‐mentoring for clinicians treating chronic Hepatitis C remotely 4 ECHO soon expanded other fields Medicine adapted various parts world The COVID‐19 pandemic resulted huge disruption elective routine services all Medicine, including gastroenterology 5,6 impeded conduct face‐to‐face consultations fast‐tracked implementation virtual patient consultation 7,8 Not only were normal clinical disrupted, fear contracting at most hospitals public impaired appropriate care 9 A relaxation rules regulations regulatory bodies during additionally hastened adaptation telemedicine Several publications now demonstrated increased acceptance pandemic, even among less technologically inclined patients 7 In study conducted an academic center, two‐thirds who engaged rated experience good or better than 4,10 Greater accessibility, convenience, reduced travel burden some factors led acceptability current issue JGH Open, Ghoshal et al reported feasibility IBD adult India (REF)