Video consultation use by Australian general practitioners: video vignette study

Area of Science:

• Telemedicine and Digital Health
• General Practice and Primary Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Unequal healthcare access in Australia disproportionately affects remote and rural populations.
• Internet-based video consultations offer potential solutions for underserviced areas but are not routine.
• General practitioners (GPs) hold diverse opinions on the efficacy of video consultations for diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Australian GPs' attitudes towards video consultations.
• To assess GP perspectives across various clinical scenarios using video vignettes.
• To understand factors influencing the adoption of telemedicine in Australian general practice.

Main Methods:

• 102 Australian GPs were invited to participate in an internet-based study.
• Participants viewed 6 video vignettes of patients with acute and chronic conditions.
• GPs provided differential diagnoses and completed a survey on video consultation attitudes.

Main Results:

• 47 GPs participated; they were younger and more likely to be in larger practices than national averages.
• One-third of GPs were positive, one-third ambivalent, and one-third opposed to video consultations.
• Inability to perform physical examinations was the primary barrier; 91% opposed video consultation for acute myocardial infarction symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Video consultations are unlikely for minor self-limiting illnesses or medical emergencies.
• Routine implementation requires endorsement from senior professionals and funding bodies.
• Medical schools need to integrate video consultation training into their curricula.