The feasibility of teleconsultations in unplanned primary care: a cross section intervention

IntroductionSince 2000, an increasing misuse of emergency services in Belgium was noticed. In 2015, a multidisciplinary task-force designed a triage system. Trained operators and integrated triage protocols were installed in a call center for life-threatening and non-life-threatening care needs. MethodThis cross-sectional survey with intervention studied the feasibility of teleconsultations in unplanned care in a primary care setting. Medical doctors were present at the call center during the weekend and on public holidays in the period of 17 April 2021 to 21 November 2021. Their task was to call They called patients who had contacted the call center to perform a teleconsultation, without interfering with regular care. Results21 triage doctors participated in the study, they completed 59 surveys and conducted 551 teleconsultations. They perceived the quality of the consultations as good with an average score of 82.85 out of 100 on the sliding scale. The doctors gave an average score of 72.40 for the level of certainty for diagnosis and treatment. For 415 consultations, triage doctors judged that the consultation would gain certainty if followed by a physical examination. Video was mainly considered to be valuable in psychiatric problems, allergic reactions and skin problems. DiscussionThis study showed that teleconsultations are feasible in unplanned care. Videos add value in particular cases. Only few barriers are reported in terms of communication, technology and equipment.ConclusionTeleconsultations in unplanned primary care could be performed with a high quality and a sufficient level of certainty. The willingness to conduct teleconsultations in unplanned care is high. It would be useful in a future study to investigate the feasibility, obstacles and needs for implementation of video consultations as they may differ from teleconsultations.