Diagnostic accuracy and management concordance of otorhinolaryngological diseases through telehealth or remote visits: A systematic review & meta-analysis

Introduction COVID-19 has led to delays in providing healthcare in both emergency and non-emergency settings, especially in surgical subspecialties which rely heavily on referrals and in-person visits. Without an established telehealth infrastructure, many otorhinolaryngological departments experienced decreases in consultations. Telemedicine has attempted to bridge the gap between pre- and post-pandemic periods by creating a safe avenue of communication between otorhinolaryngologists and patients. This review hopes to address the accuracy of telemedicine in patient diagnosis and management. Methods Searches were conducted since study conception until June 30, 2022, on multiple databases including PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL for this systematic review and meta-analysis. Diagnostic accuracy, management accuracy, kappa, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were meta-analyzed by comparing virtual visits to in-person visits (gold standard). Results Nineteen studies were included in this review. A total of 1518 patients were included across all studies. When comparing virtual visits against in-person visits, accurate diagnosis was made in 86.2% [82.1,89.9, I-2 = 73.5%, P < 0.0001] of patients and management accuracy was 91.5% [86.1,95.7, I-2 = 81.8%, P < 0.0001] when treating patients. Kappa value determining interrater reliability was 0.8 [0.7,0.9, I-2 = 81.8%, P < 0.0001]. Conclusion Our data suggest that diagnostic and management concordance is above 80% when comparing diagnosis and management strategies in patients who underwent both telehealth and in-person visits with an otorhinolaryngologist. In uncomplicated patients, telehealth might be a reliable source for diagnosis and management however, in-person consultation is likely still required for pathologies in which physical exam, imaging or procedural elements represent a vital component of the work-up.

Automated summary

COVID-19 has caused delays in healthcare, especially in surgical specialties like otorhinolaryngology. Telemedicine has helped bridge the gap and this review examines its accuracy in patient diagnosis and management. Results show that virtual visits have an accuracy of 86.2% in diagnosis and 91.5% in management compared to in-person visits. In uncomplicated cases, telehealth is reliable, but for complex pathologies, in-person consultations may still be necessary.