Abstract Details

Title Telephone Visits in a Resident Clinic: During the Pandemic and Beyond

Topic Research Methodology, Education, and History

Presentation(s) Research Methodology and Education Posters (7:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 038

Background The resident continuity clinic at Bellevue, a public hospital, serves patients across diverse geographic, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all neurology clinic appointments were converted to telephone visits. There were no clear guidelines regarding which patients were best suited for telehealth visits. Moving forward, such data could be useful.

Objective Amid the rapid implementation of telephone visits in our neurology resident clinic, we evaluated obstacles and best uses.

Design/Methods An anonymous, voluntary survey was completed by neurology residents who rotate weekly through the continuity clinic, which runs three 4-hour clinic sessions per week.

Results Residents' responses (N=24) were collected April 28 through May 6, 2020. Many of the telephone visits (66%) required a translator. Overall resident satisfaction was high with telephone visits. Trainees posited that patients were also pleased with the provided care. Residents felt most confident in the quality of their history, exam, and management plan for return visits (average 4.3, 3.5, and 4.1, respectively [scale 1-5]). Confidence diminished with patients who were new to the clinic. Trainees believed the most ideal candidates for future telephone visits were patients scheduled for return visits with (4.0) or without an interpreter (4.3), and patients with epilepsy (4.4), headache (4.4), and pain (3.7) diagnoses. The diagnoses least conducive to telephone visits were memory issues (2.0), gait disorders (2.0), and weakness (2.0).

Conclusions Telephone visits in a resident clinic may effectively facilitate neurologic care. Telephone visits were most useful for follow-up appointments whether or not a translator phone was needed and for patients with epilepsy, headache and pain. This information may help our clinic triage future appointments and enhance care for patients unable to attend in-person visits due to socioeconomic, physical, or other limitations. Measuring patient outcomes could help monitor the quality of neurologic care.

Authors/Disclosures
Rebecca Stainman, MD (Nemour's Children's Health) PRESENTER	Dr. Stainman has nothing to disclose.
Steve W. Han, MD PhD (Takeda Pharmaceuticals)	No disclosure on file
Neil A. Busis, MD, FAAN (NYU Langone Health)	Dr. Busis has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Busis has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Neurology Today.
Arielle M. Kurzweil, MD, FAAN (NYU)	Dr. Kurzweil has nothing to disclose.
Perrin A. Pleninger, MD, FAAN (NYU Langone Medical Center)	Dr. Pleninger has nothing to disclose.