Telemedicine in patients with hematological diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic: Beneficial care or waste of time?

Introduction Telemedicine (TM) is a method for follow-up of patients experiencing chronic morbidities, such as those with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and thalassemia, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objective To assess medical services administrated to patients with MPNs and thalassemia after 6 months of online follow-up. Patients and methods During the COVID-19 pandemic, of 250 patients who were regularly following up in the hematology clinic, only 45 patients with MPNs and 30 patients with thalassemia were able to connect through the WhatsApp group. Six months later, a questionnaire was given to patients. We asked if COVID-19 affected their routine medical service and receipt of their treatment. Finally, did they attend the clinic despite TM service and why?Results Two patient groups were included. A total of 75 patients were included, comprising 56 (80%) females and 19 (20%) males. The median age was 51.2 (16–73) years in the MPN group and 29.5 (17–50) years in the thalassemia group. All patients with MPNs found the application easy to use, whereas 93.3% of patients with thalassemia found the application to be easy. TM consultations increased since the start of online follow-up for 41 patients, with no change in three and decreased in one patient. Seven patients had suspicious COVID symptoms, and four of them notified the consultant. During the follow-up, about 205 consultations and 300 laboratory results had been medically debated through WhatsApp groups or audio-visual calls. Conclusion Evidence supports that TM is a fast, safe, and effective tool to increase care and decrease morbidity for both patients with MPNs and adult patients with thalassemia during the pandemic time.