Timely and accurate diagnoses can mean the difference between life and death. A recent patient case that one of our Access TeleCare specialists consulted on highlights the transformative role of telemedicine in ensuring precise diagnoses and tailored care plans.
The Challenge
The patient’s journey began with troubling symptoms: frequent sinus infections, lung issues, and persistent chest pain. Initially, the hospital’s on-site team diagnosed him with tuberculosis (TB), a highly contagious and serious disease. Following protocol, the case was reported to the state Department of Health, and the patient was prescribed the standard four-drug RIPE regimen, the first-line treatment for TB, which involves six to nine months of antibiotics use.
However, instead of improving, the patient’s condition worsened. Persistent symptoms, including pleuritic chest pain, led to his readmission to the hospital. This prompted the care team to seek a second opinion, turning to Access TeleCare’s infectious disease specialists for guidance.
The Turning Point
Enter the Access TeleCare infectious disease specialist, whose expertise shifted the course of the patient’s treatment. After a thorough review, the specialist suggested that the underlying condition might not be TB at all. Instead, they suspected granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), a rare autoimmune disease.
This suspicion was confirmed through targeted diagnostic tests, which revealed autoimmune activity. The revelation was pivotal. Without it, the patient would have continued on an ineffective TB treatment plan, enduring unnecessary antibiotic use for six to nine months.
The Outcome
With antibiotic misuse and overuse the number one cause of antibiotic resistance worldwide, avoiding unnecessary prescribing is critical. Deaths from antibiotic-resistant infections are increasing as are healthcare costs associated with treating such infections. The right course of treatment, which may or may not require antibiotics, starts with the right diagnosis. With the availability and expertise of Access TeleCare’s on-demand infectious disease expertise, this patient was diagnosed correctly and able to change treatment course, and prolonged, unnecessary antibiotic use was avoided.
Telemedicine’s Impact
This outcome serves as a powerful example of the importance of timely, accessible specialist care and multidisciplinary collaboration both for individual patient and collective public health outcomes. Read the case study.
