Table 2 Characteristics of included articles, ordered by location of intervention (country of patients)
Author and publication year | Study design | Study period | Facilitating organisation | Country of remote provider(s) | Country of patients | Setting of patients | Number of patients treated | Medical specialty | Outcome measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | |||||||||
Patterson et al. [35] | Case series | 2004–2007 | Humanitarian organisation (Swinfen Charitable Trust, UK) | Multiple (specifics not stated) | Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Pakistan | Not stated | 203 (Iraq), 55 (Afghanistan) | Various | Number of cases, qualitative opinions of referring doctors (2), image attachments included with each case, reply time of remote HCW, number of email exchanges, HCW confidence in diagnosis |
Sajwani et al. a [40] | Commentary | 2013–2017 | Development organisation (Government of Canada, Aga Khan Foundation Canada) | Afghanistan | Afghanistan | Hospital (secondary care) | Not stated | Various | None |
Khoja et al. [34] | Case series | 2007–2014 | Private organisation (Roshan telecommunications, part owned by Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development) | Afghanistan, Pakistan | Afghanistan | Not stated | 15,000 | Radiology, Pathology, Surgery | Number of cases, approximate cost and time savings to patients |
Ismail et al. [46] | Before-after intervention | 2013–2017 | University (Emory University, USA) | USA | Afghanistan | Hospital (tertiary care) | 150 | Dermatopathology | Number of cases, % change of diagnoses |
Ismail et al. [32] | Case series | 2013–2017 | Not stated | Afghanistan | Afghanistan | Clinic (primary care) | 326 | Dermatology | Number of cases, % cases diagnosis given, % cases local HCW asked follow-up questions |
Fritz et al. [45] | Before-after intervention | Not stated | Not stated | Germany | Afghanistan, Tanzania | Not stated | 156 (Afghanistan), 10 (Tanzania) | Pathology | Number of cases, % change of diagnoses |
Sayani et al. a [49] | Cross-sectional, retrospective | 2013–2017 | Development organisation (Aga Khan Foundation Canada, Global Affairs Canada) | Afghanistan | Afghanistan | Not stated | 19,157 | Various | Number of cases, projected time and cost savings to patient |
Rezaian et al. [36] | Case series | 5Â years (date not stated) | University (West Virginia University, USA) | USA | Iran (Afghan refugees) | Hospital clinic (outpatients, refugee population) | 4800 | Rheumatology | Number of cases, number of diagnostic tests performed, number of medications given |
Iraq | |||||||||
Swinfen et al. b [41] | Commentary | 2004—2005 | Humanitarian organisation (Swinfen Charitable Trust, UK) | Not stated | Iraq | Not stated | 150 | Various | None |
Patterson et al. b,e [35] | Case series | 2004–2007 | Humanitarian organisation (Swinfen Charitable Trust, UK) | Multiple (specifics not stated) | Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Pakistan | Not stated | 203 (Iraq), 55 (Afghanistan) | Various | Number of cases, number image attachments per case, reply time of remote HCW, number of email exchanges, HCW confidence in diagnosis |
Al-Hadad et al. [28] | Case series | 2000–2009 | University (Sapienza University, Italy), Humanitarian organisation (INTERSOS, Italy) | Italy | Iraq | Hospital | 10 per month | Paediatric oncology, Pathology | Number of cases, % change in diagnosis, mortality |
Wagner et al. c [47] | Randomised-control trial | 2009–2011 | University (Freie University, Germany) | Iraq, Palestine, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Europe | Iraq | Patient's home | 47 | Mental health | Working Alliance Inventory |
Knaevelsrud et al. c [48] | Randomised-control trial | 2009- 2011 | University (Freie University, Germany) | Iraq, Palestine, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Europe | Iraq | Patient's home | 159 | Mental health | Number of cases, Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale score, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 score, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised score, EUROHIS-QOL score |
AbdGhani et al. [50] | Cross-sectional, retrospective | Not stated | Local health system | Iraq | Iraq | Not stated | 30 | Various | Method of tele-consultation, % of consultations conducted electronically, number of years ago that tele-consulting was started |
Belman et al. [30] | Case series | 2009–2010 | Public–private sector partnership (CARE Foundation) | India | Iraq, India, Nigeria | Not stated | 2274 | Radiology | Number of cases |
Syria | |||||||||
Jefee-Bahloul et al. [33] | Case series | 2013 | Humanitarian organisation (Syrian American Medical Society, USA) | USA | Jordan (Syrian refugees) | Refugee camp clinic | 6 | Mental health | Number of cases |
Al-Makki et al. [44] | Commentary | 2014–2017 | Humanitarian organisation (Syrian National Kidney Foundation, USA) | USA | Syria | Hospital | Not stated | Nephrology | None |
Jefee-Bahloul et al. d [43] | Case report | 2014—not stated | Humanitarian organisation (Syrian TeleMental Health Network) | USA, Canada, UK, Middle East | Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan (Syrian refugees) | Clinic (primary care) | Not stated | Mental health | None |
Moughrabieh et al. [39] | Commentary | 2012–2015 | Volunteers (funded by Syrian American Medical Society, USA) | USA, Canada | Syria | Hospital | 90 per month | Intensive care | Number of cases per month, disease presentation type |
Alrifai et al. [38] | Commentary | 2014—not stated | Humanitarian organisation (Syrian American Medical Society, USA) | USA | Syria | Hospital | Not stated | Cardiology, Intensive care | None |
Masrani et al. [29] | Case series | 2015–2018 | Humanitarian organisation (Teleradiology Relief Group established by Syrian American Medical Society, USA) | USA, Saudi Arabia | Syria | Not stated | Not stated | Radiology | Number of radiological images interpreted |
Ghbeis et al. [31] | Case series | 2013–2014 | Volunteers | USA | Syria | Hospital | 19 | Intensive care (paediatric) | Number of cases, consultation recommendations, patient mortality |
Almoshmosh et al. d [27] | Case series | 2014–2017 | Humanitarian organisation (Syrian Tele-Mental Health Network) | UK, USA, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey | Syria, Turkey, Lebanon (Syrian refugees) | Not stated | 123 | Mental health | Number of cases, referral location, type of questions from referring HCWs, type of advice given by provider HCW |
Gaza | |||||||||
Olsen et al. [42] | Project report | 2006–2009 | Hospitals (Patient Friends Society K. Abu Raya Rehabilitation Centre, Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation, Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre for Disabled Children, El Wafa Medical Rehabilitation Hospital, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital), WHO collaborating centre (Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine), Development organisation (Norwegian Association of Disabled), Private organisation (Tanberg) | West Bank and multiple international partners | Gaza | Hospital (rehabilitation specialist hospital) | Not stated | Rehabilitation | None |
Yemen | |||||||||
Al-Kamel et al. [37] | Commentary | 2013—not stated | Local health system (Regional Leishmaniasis Control Center) | Not stated | Yemen | Not stated | Not stated | Dermatology | None |