Telemedicine in Emergency Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic—Experiences and Prospects—A Narrative Review

Abstract

Even before the year 2020, telemedicine has been proven to contribute to the efficacy of healthcare systems, for example in remote locations or in primary care. However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth solutions have emerged as a key component in patient healthcare delivery and they have been widely used in emergency medicine ever since. The pandemic has led to a growth in the number of telehealth applications and improved quality of already available telemedicine solutions. The implementation of telemedicine, especially in emergency departments (EDs), has helped to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect healthcare workers. This narrative review focuses on the most important innovative solutions in emergency care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. It outlines main categories of active telehealth use in daily practice of dealing with COVID-19 patients currently, and in the future. Furthermore, it discusses benefits as well as limitations of telemedicine.