Date of Completion

2022

Document Type

Research Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Medicine

Keywords

Telemedicine

Abstract

There has been more interest in telemedicine because of its ability to provide healthcare remotely, avoiding some of the dangers caused by the pandemic, especially to pregnant patients who are considered a vulnerable population. With multiple health institutions shifting to the delivery of maternal healthcare via telemedicine, there is a growing need to assess how telemedicine is used. This study conducted a scoping review to identify the current services available via telemedicine and describe its potential and challenges within maternal healthcare. This review was guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Out of 150 articles, only 16 were included in this review. Studies were published from 2011 to 2022 and were mostly conducted in the USA (n=9). Most studies performed a retrospective study using patient health records as their source of information. Services offered via telemedicine were exclusively for prenatal and postpartum periods in pregnancy with the most common purpose being consultations. No study mentioned any service for intrapartum care. The majority of the problems encountered were concerned with the use of technology such as unstable internet connection and the inability to use or navigate devices properly. Studies that discussed patient resources reported alleviation in terms of either money, time, or energy spent when using telemedicine services. In terms of culture, some gaps with racial inequities in healthcare were addressed by telemedicine, but hindrances to quality care such as language barriers still need to be addressed in order to provide quality telemedical healthcare.

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