Conclusions
This study offers important insights about telemedicine use at a large
pediatric pulmonary tertiary care center. This study demonstrates the
feasibility and utility of telemedicine for children and adolescents
with a wide range of pulmonary conditions and shows that telemedicine
can be successfully completed with overwhelmingly positive and
concordant experiences and perspectives among both patients and
providers. Our data suggest that there are important roles for the
continued use of telemedicine as an option beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the rapid and exponential increase in use of telemedicine brought
about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the past few months undoubtedly
represent an important milestone in the growth of telemedicine. Despite
these strides, important work remains as improvements in the access to
telemedicine and physical exam capabilities are pursued. Allowances for
telemedicine by medical licensing boards and third-party payers would
need to be extended beyond the pandemic to ensure patients have access
to care. Further studies are needed to examine how care delivered
through telemedicine impacts measurable patient outcomes and how the
financial costs of delivering care compares to traditional in-person
visits.