Telemedicine and Social Media in the Management of COVID-19: TunisianExperience

Abstract

In Tunisia, as elsewhere in the world, severe forms of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) related to SARS-Covid 19 were observed. In this pandemic period and given the large number of patients, the challenge was how to manage these serious patients from a distance by guiding other practitioners not trained in this cutting-edge care. For example to manage the operation of the ECMO machine, usually reserved for expert and specialized centers in the field. Our department of cardio-vascular surgery in La Rabta teaching hospital of Tunis has tried the experience of management of ECMO implanted in the different intensive care units of Tunis, remotely, using telemedicine and social networks. Thus, a Facebook-Messenger discussion group was created and enabled the management of patients under ECMO via video conferencing in real time involving all stakeholders.