Public Experiences and Perspectives of Virtual Primary Care Visits:
                        Outcomes and Future Options

Halas, Gayle; Baldwin, Alanna; Singer, Alexander; Katz, Alan; Abraham, LA; Fogarty, Vivianne; LaBine, Lisa; Kirby, Sarah; Wong, Sabrina T.; Talpade, Siddhesh; Abrams, Elissa M.; Bohm, Éric; François, José; MacKay, Kerri

doi:10.5334/ijic.icic21274

Cited by 1 publication

(5 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…There is a strong individual preference when it comes to receiving healthcare that can be influenced by an individual's personal circumstance, barriers to attending in the office, and comfort with technology. 10 , 23 In a comparable study that assessed public opinions about the future of virtual care in Manitoba, 85% of survey respondents expressed a preference to have in-person visits available as an option for all healthcare encounters. 10 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 10 , 23 In a comparable study that assessed public opinions about the future of virtual care in Manitoba, 85% of survey respondents expressed a preference to have in-person visits available as an option for all healthcare encounters. 10 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It can also be a useful tool to follow up on an in-person encounter, to review results, and treatment response, and provide education and counseling. Both parties may be most comfortable in the context of a pre-existing relationship or known condition, 10 , 32 however, in many situations a virtual visit between a new patient and provider or for a new problem can likely achieve the desired outcome. While the telephone offers convenience and has fewer technological issues, expanding the availability and adoption of other virtual means such as videoconferencing will offer additional options that allow patients and providers to “see” each other, interpret cues, and give visual evidence of a health concern.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of note, while proven video-based forms of communication were utilized by those who had existing infrastructure to do so when the pandemic started, the vast majority of virtual care during this rapid shift was delivered by telephone. 1 , 10 The use of telephone by physicians for comprehensive assessment and management was relatively uncommon prior to the onset of the pandemic. In sum, the pandemic created an abrupt shift in practice compared to the usual path to change in healthcare, pushing the “majority” and “laggers” to rapidly become adopters 11 , 12 with limited evidence to guide this transition.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 18 While published reviews indicate a general consensus among patients and providers regarding the advantages and disadvantages of virtual care, understanding the nuances of when virtual care is most appropriate remains an area needing further study. 10 , 19 There have been studies examining the application of virtual care for a limited range of clinical conditions and visit types including asthma self-management support, 20 mental health services, 21 – 23 cancer care, 24 and telehealth for genetic counseling. 25 Furthermore, most studies have not examined both patient and provider perspectives.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

When “virtual” works and when it doesn’t: A survey of physician and patient experiences with virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Hensel,

Lemoine,

Bolton

et al. 2024

DIGITAL HEALTH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective To assess the experience of virtual care among both patients and physicians across a range of clinical scenarios during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A web-based survey was disseminated to patients and physicians through a variety of media and healthcare communications from May 2020 to July 2021. Demographic details and attitudes across a range of virtual care domains were collected. Quantitative responses were analyzed descriptively. Open-text responses were gathered to contrast when a virtual visit was superior or inferior to an in-person one, and a thematic content analysis was used. Results There were 197 patients and 93 physician respondents, representing a range of demographic and practice characteristics. Patients noted several benefits of virtual care and felt it should continue to be available. Physicians felt they could do a lot of their care virtually. Common themes related to the superiority of virtual care were for “quick” visits, reviewing test results, chronic disease monitoring, and medication needs. Virtual care was less ideal when a physical exam was needed, and was not perceived as a good fit for an individual's cultural, language, or emotional needs. Certain conditions were identified as both ideal and non-ideal for the virtual format (e.g. mental healthcare). Discussion Certain situations are more amenable to virtual care with personal preferences among both patients and physicians. Future priorities should ensure that virtual care is effective across the range of clinical situations in which it may be used and that both virtual and in-person options are equally available to those who want them.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%