Clinical Case Report
The use of telemedicine to assess a paediatric patient with arrhythmia presenting to a remote community coronavirus assessment centre
AUTHORS
Neil Shepherd1 MRCGP, FRACGP, MRCP, Rural Emergency Physician *
Philip Wilson2 DPhil, FRCGP, Director, Centre for Rural Health
AFFILIATIONS
1 Caithness General Hospital, Bankhead Road, Wick, Caithness, Scotland KW1 5NS, UK
2 Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Centre for Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Inverness, Scotland IV2 3JH, UK
ACCEPTED: 5 April 2021
early abstract:
A 5 year old girl presented to the coronavirus assessment centre on a remote Scottish island with symptoms consistent with novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Her mother was concerned as she had noted the patient to have an irregular pulse. COVID-19 has been shown to cause cardiac arrhythmia and following discussion with tertiary paediatric cardiology services an electrocardiograph (ECG) was recommended. In order to minimise potential spread of coronavirus in the healthcare setting a portable ECG device was immediately delivered to the patient with the ECG tracing being sent electronically to the cardiologist. A formal diagnosis was then communicated to the parents within 2 hours of the initial contact.