#5-06E. Bridging the Gap: Telemedicine in Rheumatic Diseases (ModRheumatol, 2026)

How can we overcome the unequal distribution of specialists and the heavy burden of regular hospital visits to transform rheumatology care? Today's episode explores a comprehensive review that outlines the technical and institutional barriers to implementing telemedicine in Japan, while introducing next-generation remote care systems and health economic simulations. The most crucial takeaway is the proposed utility of a "hybrid care model" combining in-person and remote consultations for patients with stable disease activity. This approach provides a practical framework to build a sustainable healthcare system that actively compensates for the shortage of rheumatologists. However, when critically appraising this paper, clinicians should carefully note that the health economic simulation does not account for indirect patient costs, such as transportation, or long-term clinical outcomes. For practicing physicians, this paper is highly relevant as it offers essential, forward-looking guidance on integrating sustainable, high-quality telemedicine into daily clinical practice while navigating the persistent challenges of regional healthcare disparities.

Citation: Kawashiri S-Y, Kawakami A, Miyamae T. A proposal for the implementation of telemedicine in Japan for rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus: Review article. Modern Rheumatology. 2026. DOI: 10.1093/mr/roag023

Disclaimer: This audio summary is based on personal interpretation and does not guarantee the exact content of the original paper. Please refer to the original article for details.