Tele-Rheumatology to Regional Hospital Outpatient Clinics: Patient Perspectives on a New Model of Care

Background: Telehealth has the potential to improve access to specialist rheumatology services. The timely and appropriate delivery of care to those living with rheumatological diseases is crucial to ensuring excellent long-term outcomes. Introduction: The outcomes of a tele-rheumatology service delivered to regional hospital outpatient clinics were evaluated with patient perspectives and acceptability analyzed. Materials and Methods: A tele-rheumatology clinic was commenced in Australia from a metropolitan hospital to five regional clinics. The model of care included a trained nurse at the spoke site linked to a rheumatologist from the hospital hub site for follow-up consultations of stable review patients using videoconferencing. Surveys assessing perspectives on the tele-rheumatology encounter were completed and a subsample participated in focus groups to further explore acceptability. Results: Forty-eight patients with a diverse range of conditions participated. Patient travel was reduced on average by 95 km and 42% avoided time off work. Eighty-eight to 100% of participants agreed/strongly agreed with statements relating to acceptability, quality of physician-patient interaction, and nurse involvement. Twenty-nine percent expressed the need for a physical examination by a specialist rheumatologist and 25% felt that an in-person consultation would establish better patient-physician rapport. Qualitatively, participants viewed tele-rheumatology as equivalent to in-person care after an initial adjustment period. Discussion: Tele-rheumatology through videoconferencing for follow-up of patients with established disease is acceptable to patients and demonstrates the potential to improve time, travel, and cost burdens placed on patients who live remotely compared with traditional, face-to-face rheumatology care. Conclusions: Implementation of sustainable and patient acceptable models of tele-rheumatology care may allow timely access to all patients living with rheumatological conditions.