Telerheumatology - breaking barriers to access care in Rheumatology

• Main Authors: Vítor Teixeira, Inês Cordeiro, Maria João Gonçalves, João Eurico Fonseca, Carla Macieira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia 2018-10-01
• Series: Acta Reumatológica Portuguesa
• Online Access: http://www.actareumatologica.pt/files/article/1234_telerheumatology_breaking_barriers_to_access_care_in_rheumatology_file.pdf

Telehealth applied to rheumatology, known as telerheumatology, is an emerging trend in healthcare in many countries. It constitutes a promising approach with the potential to anticipate the contact of patients from remote areas with Rheumatologists, leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment, and thus probably to better long-term outcomes. Telerheumatology under the scope of International collaborations may also improve the access of the PALOP population to Rheumatology care, resulting in proper shared decisions for patient’s evacuation, preventing family separation and reducing the costs associated to intercontinental dislocations.