Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: May 14, 2020
Date Accepted: Dec 16, 2020
Date Submitted to PubMed: Dec 21, 2020
Telemedicine and the use of Korean Medicine with COVID-19 patients in South Korea: an observational study
ABSTRACT
Background:
COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and it has spread to South Korea, other Asian countries, and, finally, the rest of the world. As of April 28, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 exceeded 3 million, and the death toll was approximately 200,000.
Objective:
This study aimed to describe the telemedicine system using Korean medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in South Korea.
Methods:
The Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) established a COVID-19 telemedicine center of Korean medicine (KM telemedicine center) at Daegu Korean Medicine Hospital. After the outbreak in Daegu and Gyeongbuk was stabilized, AKOM also established an additional telemedicine center in Seoul. The AKOM also developed the Guidelines for COVID-19 Telemedicine Services of Korean Medicine based on two previously published guidelines in South Korea and a set of guidelines recommended by the Chinese government.
Results:
The KM telemedicine center consists of an operation group, reception group, medical group, and advisory group. All procedures of the KM telemedicine center are in compliance with standardized guidelines. When patients request telemedicine by phone call, students in the reception group obtain informed consent and collect their basic information. Then, Korean medicine doctors call the patient and assess his or her stage and symptoms of COVID-19. Herbal medicines are delivered to the patients, and follow-up calls are made every 4-5 days until the end of the treatment.
Conclusions:
The KM telemedicine center has provided medical service to 14.6% of all patients in South Korea (as of April 5, 2020), and it is still in operation. This study suggests that telemedicine is a good alternative to in-person medical care in preventing the spread of infectious diseases and minimizing the medical neglect of marginalized areas.
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