Redefining an appropriate proximity between patients and health professionals in the context of teleconsultation: An analysis through the feeling of care

Abstract

Originally intended as a solution to challenges in healthcare access, teleconsultation has witnessed significant growth in recent years. However, this practice has introduced non-neutral changes to the experience of care, prompting a reexamination of the concept of “caring.” While teleconsultation facilitates contact between patients and healthcare professionals, does it inherently transform their perceptions of caring and being cared for? This study employs the theoretical framework of care to investigate how the notion of “caring” is redefined from the perspectives of both patients and healthcare professionals. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of 40 interviews (24 patients and 16 health professionals), this article reveals how the transformation of the consultation framework reshapes three key dimensions of care: functional, emotional, and symbolic. Our findings further highlight how collaborative adjustments in the care relationship, enabled by co-creation dynamics within the care pathway, restructure the feeling of care, optimizing a sense of proximity between stakeholders.