Implementation of a pediatric telemedicine and medication delivery service in a resource-limited setting: A pilot study for clinical safety and feasibility

Objective: Determine the clinical safety and feasibility of implementing a telemedicine and medication delivery service (TMDS) to address gaps in nighttime healthcare access for children in low-resource settings.
Results: A total of 391 cases were enrolled from September 9th, 2019 to January 19th, 2021; 89% (347) received a household visit. Most cases were triaged as mild or moderate (92%; 361). Among the severe cases, 83% (20) sought subsequent referred care. The most common complaint was a respiratory problem (63%; 246). At 10-days, 95% (329) of parents reported their child’s condition as “improved” or “recovered”. Ninety-nine percent (344) rated the TMDS as “good” or “great”. The median phone consultation was 20 minutes, time to arrival at the household was 73 minutes and total workflow per case was 114 minutes.
Conclusion: The TMDS was a feasible healthcare delivery model with high rates of improved clinical status at 10-days.