COVID-19: A catalyst for change in virtual health care utilization for persons with limb loss.

This is a narrative review, not a trial, so it does not test whether telehealth improves outcomes for people with limb loss. The main search was PubMed, and some unavailable articles were found through institutional resources, so relevant studies outside those sources may be missing. Only 51 of 73 assessed articles met the inclusion criteria, and the authors state the limb loss virtual care literature is limited. The review includes case reports, qualitative studies, and pilot trials, so those parts do not show that a treatment works. Some studies reported concerns, including provider time burden, lower home adherence, and higher mortality in one diabetic foot ulcer telehealth study compared with in-person monitoring.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The work was funded by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The disclaimer says the views are not official policy of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Government, the Uniformed Services University, or the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.

Do not read this review as proof that telehealth is as effective as in-person amputation rehabilitation. It is a narrative review, and the authors say telehealth is a complement, not a replacement, with much evidence extrapolated from non-limb-loss populations.