Remote consultations in primary care: Patient experiences and suggestions for improvement.
Richard O de VisserChimela NwambaEve BrearleyVahid ShafieiLia HartPublished in: Journal of health psychology (2024)
The use of Remote Consultations (RCs) in primary care expanded rapidly during the Covid-19 pandemic: their ongoing use highlights a need to improve experiences of them. We interviewed 17 adults in the UK, including a sub-sample of five people with a First Language other than English (FLotE). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis identified five major themes: (1) RCs are convenient, but they require appropriate technology and appropriate conditions of use; (2) even those with good general eHealth literacy and connectivity may struggle with systems that are not user-friendly; (3) greater reliance on verbal communication was experience as limiting empathy, and also made RCs more difficult for people with a FLotE; (4) RCs are considered inappropriate for complex conditions, or those with major psychological components; (5) continuity of care is important, but is often lacking. Overall, interviewees emphasised the need for more user-friendly processes, and greater attention to patients' preferences for consultation type.
Keyphrases
- primary care
- general practice
- end stage renal disease
- palliative care
- working memory
- mental health
- healthcare
- ejection fraction
- chronic kidney disease
- newly diagnosed
- peritoneal dialysis
- autism spectrum disorder
- case report
- prognostic factors
- quality improvement
- functional connectivity
- cross sectional
- resting state
- white matter
- physical activity
- pain management
- social media
- health insurance