• P Mazón-Ramos, A Román-Rego, B Díaz-Fernández, M Portela-Romero, D Garcia-Vega, M Bastos-Fernández, D Rey-Aldana, R Lage-Fernández, S Cinza-Sanjurjo, and J R González-Juanatey.
• Servicio de Cardiología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, España.
• Rev Clin Esp. 2023 Jun 1; 223 (6): 350358350-358.

Blackground And ObjectiveVirtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are not data of models between clinicians. Our objective is to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our area.MethodsPatients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as a reference the consultations carried out during 2018.ResultsWe analysed 25,121 patients. Through logistic regression analysis, it was observed that a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care were associated with a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated with worse health outcomes compared to 2018.ConclusionsThe results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consult referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care without the pandemic periods being associated with worse outcomes. The reduction in the time elapsed for solving the e-consult and no need for in-person visit were associated with better outcomes.© 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

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