Evaluation of the Hand and Wrist via Telephone and Video Visit

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the utility of telemedicine, with rapid incorporation throughout 2020. Telemedicine is a timely, safe, and effective means of evaluating, triaging, and treating patient conditions, including those of the musculoskeletal system. Hand and wrist complaints are frequently encountered in the primary care setting, and some can have serious consequences if not promptly diagnosed. Prior to the pandemic, over a quarter of the nation’s allopathic degree-granting medical schools had initiated telemedicine training as part of the preclinical phase of their curriculum, and about half had implemented it into clerkships prior to the pandemic. Despite rapid acceptance, increased ease of access, and prior attempts to incorporate telemedicine into the educational curriculum, telemedicine evaluation continues to pose challenges to both the patient and provider. This is likely due to a lack of established protocols outlining clinical data collection through a virtual interface. Although telemedicine requires the patient to perform a physical examination, it allows the physician to collect clinically important information while observing the patient in their home environment. Aims: The aim of this paper is to provide a step-by-step method to evaluate and triage hand and wrist complaints. Methods: Our group has created a step-by-step evaluation pathway to help physicians direct their patients through typical hand and wrist examination elements, including inspection, palpation, range of motion (ROM), strength, special, and functional testing. Results: We have developed a table of evaluation questions and instructions and a glossary of images of each maneuver to facilitate hand and wrist examination via telemedicine. Conclusion: This paper provides a guide for extracting clinically relevant information while performing telemedicine examinations of the hand.