Telemedicine Identifies Heart Problems in Children Distant from a Specialized Medical Center

A new study found that rapid electronic review of children's heart images by specialists nearly 200 miles away allowed for earlier diagnosis and treatment of potentially acute pediatric heart problems.

The study, conducted by researchers from Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, MO, USA), was presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, held October 2010 in San Francisco, CA, USA. Researchers looked at 11 years of data on first-time pediatric echocardiograms performed at St. John's Medical Center (Joplin, MO, USA), and transmitted to pediatric heart specialists at Children's Mercy 160 miles away, between April 1998 and October 2009.

More than 70% (71.7%) of the echocardiograms were ordered due to the local doctor hearing a heart murmur. Nearly three-quarters (73.6%) of the echocardiograms were determined by Children's Mercy specialists to be normal. "Satellite heart imaging labs like the one evaluated in this study can give parents fast access to pediatric expertise they might not otherwise have, and that can often be reassuring,” said Seiji Ito, M.D., resident at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, and coauthor of the study.

Of the 905 echocardiograms evaluated, only 15 (1.7%) resulted in a transfer to Children's Mercy for treatment. Telemedicine involves the use communication technology to share health information among physicians or between physicians and patients. Over the 11 years looked at in this study, the method of transmission evolved from video tape over integrated services digital network (ISDN), to digital studies transmitted over the internet.

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