With only 520 certified headache specialists in the United States, many patients are unable to receive care from the doctors most qualified to treat them. Telemedicine, which uses videoconferencing technology to connect patients to doctors who can provide treatment from remote locations, may help more people with migraine and headache receive the best possible care. Two new studies on telemedicine for migraine were presented at the 57th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society. The AHS’s press release summary said telemedicine “saves money and time, improves quality of care, builds patient satisfaction.”

The first study found that 77.4% of those who migraine care through telemedicine (which was named “TeleHeadache”) were prescribed or recommended acute treatment that has good evidence for it’s effectiveness. Of those seen locally, only 27% received such prescriptions or recommendations.

The second study looked at patient satisfaction, effectiveness of treatment, and the practical logistics of follow-up visits via telemedicine. They found high patient satisfaction and cost savings for patients through telemedicine. Researchers are also considering ways to implement this technology in the future.

Telemedicine is a natural fit for headache medicine since patients rarely require a physical exam after their initial appointment. It is already being used successfully for traumatic brain injury and concussion treatment. Patients who do not have certified headache specialists nearby and cannot travel to see one will benefit greatly from this additional access. There are logistics to work out—like how patients would get to the doctor for an initial appointment and if this will increase the wait times to see specialist—but it’s a good step forward. 

Reference
American Headache Society press release. Telemedicine Proves Value in Managing Migraine. June 17, 2015. 

http://www.americanheadachesociety.org/telemedicine_proves_value_in_managing_migraine_patients/?pg=1