The virtual interface for neurodegenerative disease management: A systematic literature review on the feasibility of telemedicine in dementia care

Background As the global population ages and the prevalence of dementia rises, telemedicine has garnered attention as a means of delivering care to a frail cognitively‐impaired population through a virtual interface. The benefits of telemedicine‐based in person patient‐physician encounters include increased access to healthcare irrespective of distance, as well as reduction in travel costs and carbon emissions. While Telemedicine has proven feasible and effective in other areas of medicine, its use in a cognitively‐impaired population is less well studied and poses unique challenges. The current literature review aims to compare and contrast the use of televisits across neurodegenerative disease, with a particular focus on dementia care. Method We performed a systematic review of the literature published between January 2000 and January 2020. Databases OVID Medline and PubMed were searched using keywords “Telemedicine”, “Neurodegenerative disease”, “Dementia” and their respective synonyms. Eligible articles were selected after screening the titles and abstracts. Studies were included if they examined the use of virtual healthcare visits (i.e. televisits) in the management of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Result The search yielded 503 potentially eligible articles. After further screening, a total of 35 articles met inclusion criteria. Positive benefits of televisits across neurodegenerative diseases included high rates of patient satisfaction, feasibility and validity. A particular challenge that emerged as unique in dementia care is a lack of interpersonal engagement. Conclusion While telemedicine has clear potential benefits for neurodegenerative disease management, further research is required to assess long‐term clinical and quality of life outcomes in patients with dementia.