Review: Teleneurology feasible for several neurologic disorders

Teleneurology is feasible for several neurological disorders, according to a review published online Dec. 4 in Neurology.

Jamie M. Hatcher-Martin, M.D., Ph.D., from the Emory University Brain Health Center in Atlanta, and colleagues conducted a review to provide an overview of evidence-based data on the role of teleneurology in the care of patients with neurologic disorders.

The researchers note that in terms of patient and caregiver satisfaction, studies report noninferiority of evaluations by telemedicine compared with traditional, in-person evaluations. Dementia has been suggested to be amenable to remote evaluation because the interview comprises a large part of the examination. Studies suggest increased access, good diagnostic accuracy, patient and provider satisfaction, and possible cost savings with teleneurology for dementia care. For people with epilepsy, teleneurology can address many unique challenges, including restricted driving privileges that can hinder traveling for visits; teleneurology is also attractive for patients with multiple sclerosis, for whom the cumulative burden of disability makes traveling to specialty centers difficult. Teleneurology has been suggested to be noninferior to in-person consultations and can be accurate for diagnosing and treating nonacute headache, while saving time and money. Teleneurology can also improve access to specialty care in movement disorders by allowing earlier diagnosis and skilled management.

"We hope to provide insight to practicing neurologists who may decide to use telemedicine in their practice and for educators who wish to provide guidance to trainees," the authors write.

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