BackgroundCOVID-19 has led to rapid and widespread use of remote consultations in general practice, but the health inequalities impact remains unknown.AimTo explore the impact of remote consultations in general practice compared to face-to-face consultations on utilisation and clinical outcomes across socio-economic and disadvantaged groups.Design & settingSystematic reviewMethodWe undertook an electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science from inception to June 2020. We included studies which compared remote consultations to face-to-face consultations in primary care and reported outcomes by PROGRESS Plus criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I. Data was synthesised narratively.ResultsBased on 13 studies, exploring telephone and internet-based consultations, we found that telephone consultations were used by younger working age people, the very old and non-immigrants, with internet-based consultations more likely to be used by younger people. Women consistently used more remote forms of consulting than men. Socio-economic and ethnicity findings were mixed, with weak evidence that patients from more affluent areas were more likely to use internet-based communication. Remote consultations appeared to help patients with opioid dependence remain engaged with primary care. No studies reported on the impact on quality of care or clinical outcomes.ConclusionRemote consultations in general practice are likely to be used more by younger working people, non-immigrants, the elderly and women, with internet-based consultations more by younger, affluent and educated groups. Wide-spread use of remote consultations should be treated with caution until the inequalities impact on clinical outcomes and quality of care is known.

There is a considerable unmet disease burden within rural districts of Nepal particularly for stomach pain, musculoskeletal pain and visual acuity problems. When planning similar rurally based health camps, we recommend recruiting GPs and ophthalmologists.

In Rwanda the prevalence of traumatic MSI of 1.64%, mostly in people of working age, makes usual activities difficult or impossible and is therefore a significant national burden. The results of the present study identify the need for immediate surgical intervention and physiotherapy, with cost as a treatment barrier. This study may direct aid providers toward subsidizing access to orthopedic care and thus reduce the impact of traumatic MSI.

No abstract