(050) Assisted Otolaryngology Telemedicine in a Remote Colombian Indigenous Population

Introduction: The San José hospital has a specific telemedicine program with Guania, which is a department with an area of 72,238 km2, being the fifth largest department in Colombia and populated with 40,000 inhabitants, mostly from an indigenous background. Assisted telemedicine consists in a presencial family practitioner equipped with endoscopic technology in order to orient the remote ENT doctor through the physical examination. The objective of this study was to describe our experience in assisted otolaryngology telemedicine in a remote indigenous population from 2021 to 2022.

Methods: This is a descriptive study from 2021-2022. All the clinical charts of assisted otolaryngology telemedicine were reviewed. Age, gender, past medical history, physical examination, diagnosis and referral to presential otolaryngology consult were examined.

Results: A total of 328 patients attended the otolaryngology telemedicine service between 2021 and 2022. Mean age was 35 years old, 181 were female (55%), with 89 patients (27%) being under 18 years old. Most of the consultations were ear related (64%), followed by nasal obstruction (19%), oral cavity- sleep apnea (13%), and paranasal sinuses (8%). 84 patients (25%) required a presential otolaryngology consultation.

Conclusions: Assisted telemedicine in a remote indigenous population in Colombia is a viable strategy to deliver otolaryngology care. Further studies should access cost-effectiveness and determine the best implementation technologies for this specific population.