Uso de la teleinterconsulta en el manejo de complicaciones asociadas a infección por COVID-19, en un Hospital de tercer nivel de Lima,Perú, año 2020-2022

The COVID-19 pandemic imposes a significant burden on health systems by overwhelmingthem. Having technological tools such as teleconsultation could improve clinical outcomes and mortality. Objective: To evaluate the impact of the use of teleconsultation on clinical indicatorsand mortality of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated by physicians from the Surgery and Internal Medicine Service of the Edgardo Rebagliati Martins National Hospital, 2020-2022. Methods: An open, ambispective, observational analytical cohort study, which analyzed data obtained from the electronic clinical records of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a national reference hospital. 496 patients were included in our study, of which 367 were treated without consultation and 129 with consultation. Results: The mean age was 59 years; 69.4% were men; Most patients had symptoms before admission (93%) and the diagnosis was based on the use of chest CT. The median age and number of comorbidities were significantly higher inthe group receiving teleconsultation compared to those who continued standard treatment. Discussion: Individualized teleconsultation intervention was associated with a greater increase in the need and control of FiO2. In addition, teleconsultation was associated with a lower probability of clinical improvement and could be related to an increase in 28-day mortality. Conclusion: Individualized teleconsultation did not improve clinical outcomes regarding clinicalimprovement, oxygen requirement, and 28-day mortality. Hospital telemedicine strategies should be adjusted in future pandemics.