The Case

A male patient initially was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) after experiencing frequent sinus infections, lung issues, and chest pain. The hospital’s on-site team reported the case to the state Department of Health, as required for a highly contagious and serious disease and began treating him with recommended first-line therapeutics — the 4-drug RIPE regimen. However, his symptoms worsened, eventually requiring hospital readmission with pleuritic chest pain. The hospital team consulted with its Access TeleCare infectious disease specialist for a second look.

The Access TeleCare infectious disease specialist suggested the patient’s condition might not be TB after all, but instead a rare autoimmune disease (granulomatosis with polyangiitis). This suspicion was confirmed with a diagnostic test showing signs of autoimmune activity.

The Care Plan

Access TeleCare’s infectious disease specialist was able to get the patient treated by a rheumatologist and begin the right therapy for the newly identified condition.

Without the investigation of the teleInfectious Disease specialist, the patient would have continued inappropriate and ineffective treatment for TB, including antibiotics, likely for six to nine months. The diagnosis and treatment pivot not only set the patient on a path to healing, but it also avoided unnecessary prolonged antibiotic use.

“Correctly diagnosing the patient very likely saved a life and avoided prolonged, unnecessary antibiotic use. Telemedicine put the investigative expertise of a highly trained infectious disease expert when and where it was most needed.”

– Jade Le, M.D. | Access TeleCare chief of infectious disease

The Result

After the correct diagnosis and treatment plan were implemented, the patient’s symptoms began to resolve. The patient is now on the road to recovery, thanks to the timely intervention and the collaborative care provided by Access TeleCare’s specialists and the hospital’s medical team.