Telemedicine in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Update

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease. Most studies show that this patient population is increasing in incidence. Patients with these diseases require lifelong care by experienced practitioners however the traditional medical model is not ideal for patients who require continuous close monitoring and whose symptoms may dramatically worsen between regularly scheduled visits. Patients with uncontrolled disease may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding and such patients are at increased risk for complications that may necessitate hospitalization and emergency surgery. Traditional medical care can be supplemented by telemedicine, which is the delivery of health care through remote electronic communication, for example, through web-based computer or smartphone applications. Here we describe several studies that highlight the many ways in which telemedicine can augment and improve patient care through telemonitoring, telemanagement, televisit, and teleconsultation.