Patients’ preferences for virtual outpatient consultations and health care professionals’ assessment of suitability for their patients: A single-centre survey

Abstract

Objectives

To explore patients’ preferences regarding virtual consultations (via telephone or video) and to explore healthcare professionals’ assessment of whether virtual consultations can maintain the same clinical quality as in-person consultations for outpatient care.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients with an in-person consultation at the outpatient clinic for internal medicine and among healthcare professionals who treated the patients. The prevalence of preference was determined using descriptive statistics based on cross-tabulated frequencies. Percentages are presented with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results

In total, 218 patients (response rate 67%) completed the questionnaire; 79 patients (36%) preferred a virtual consultation (95%CI: 30%–43%); telephones were the most popular and preferred by 72 patients (33%; 95%CI: 27%–39%) followed by video preferred by 54 patients (25%; 95%CI: 19%–31%). Regarding contextual factors, male gender and previous experiences with telephone or video consultations were statistically significant predictors in favour of virtual consultations. Healthcare professionals estimated that 58 consultations (21%; 95%CI: 17%–26%) could have been conducted virtually with the same professional and clinical quality as the current in-person consultations.

Conclusions

Current practice does not fully align with patient preferences for virtual visits in internal medicine outpatient clinics. Patients should be given the choice of virtual consultations whenever they are deemed professionally and clinically possible to enhance patient autonomy and satisfaction, while being mindful of speciality-specific considerations.