Zeppieri M. Advantages and future outlooks in the use of telemedicine in liver transplantation. World J Transplant 2025; 15(3): 104825 [DOI: 10.5500/wjt.v15.i3.104825]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Marco Zeppieri, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, p. le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, Udine 33100, Italy. mark.zeppieri@asufc.sanita.fvg.it
Research Domain of This Article
Transplantation
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Transplant. Sep 18, 2025; 15(3): 104825 Published online Sep 18, 2025. doi: 10.5500/wjt.v15.i3.104825
Advantages and future outlooks in the use of telemedicine in liver transplantation
Marco Zeppieri
Marco Zeppieri, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, Udine 33100, Italy
Marco Zeppieri, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
Author contributions: The sole author Zeppieri M completed all phases of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Dr. Zeppieri has nothing to disclose.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Marco Zeppieri, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, p. le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, Udine 33100, Italy. mark.zeppieri@asufc.sanita.fvg.it
Received: January 3, 2025 Revised: February 12, 2025 Accepted: February 19, 2025 Published online: September 18, 2025 Processing time: 105 Days and 21.9 Hours
Abstract
To maintain care during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak, telemedicine was implemented quickly. Jowell et al's pandemic study on telehealth integration and liver transplant evaluation is examined in this editorial. The study showed that telehealth did not affect clinical outcomes including time to evaluation, listing rates, or pre-transplant death. The study found that telehealth did not increase sociodemographic inequalities, suggesting a fair care framework. The editorial discusses how telemedicine in hepatology might help patients receive expert treatment while reducing logistical and financial burdens. Telehealth can democratize liver transplantation by delivering equivalent clinical results as in-person examinations. However, the editorial highlights technological barriers, difficulties in remotely assessing mental and physical health, and the need for specialized outreach to underserved communities. After the pandemic, telemedicine is essential to a more flexible, patient-centered healthcare system. The editorial encourages creativity and research to overcome challenges, improve hybrid care models, and ensure telehealth's egalitarian and successful potential. Pandemic insights can improve liver transplantation treatment and outcomes for diverse patient populations.
Core Tip: The 2019 coronavirus pandemic shifted liver transplant (LT) evaluations (LTEs) to telemedicine. According to this study, telehealth did not affect LTE patients' likelihood of listing, waitlist mortality, or evaluation length. These data imply that LTEs can safely use telemedicine and that outcomes are comparable to in-person evaluations. These findings are important: Telehealth can improve access to LT services, especially since patients find it more convenient.
