Key considerations for patients include whether online doctors have access to their medical records and are suitable for those with complex health needs. And, GPs say, online services should be in addition to traditional face-to-face consultations
The Royal College of General Practitioners in the UK has published a guide for patients, GPs and health commissioning bodies listing the questions to consider before using online general practice services.
The guide identifies three key questions for patients:
- Will they see me whatever my health problem, or exclude me if I have complex health needs?
- Will they have access to my full medical record, so that they know my medical history?
- What happens if I need to see a GP in person – how far will I need to travel?
These are all questions patients should ask themselves if they are considering using an online provider of GP consultations, either web-based or via a smartphone app, according to new guidance from the Royal College of General Practitioners, published earlier this month.
The guidance also recommends that patients ensure the service has been inspected by healthcare quality assessment bodies; look into how their personal information will be kept safe; and consider whether it is providing a free National Health Service (NHS) service, or if a fee will be required.
The guidance comes as a growing number of services offering consultations online, most commonly via smartphone apps, are hitting the market. Whilst many of these are private, some have developed partnerships with GP practices in order to deliver NHS care.
Will online services generate new demand?
The document also outlines considerations for GPs and GP practices considering implementing online consultation services and for commissioning bodies that might be considering a system for their local population.
A key question for commissioners is whether an online consultation system is likely to address current demand or generate new demand, and if the latter, what resources are available to meet it.
“Online consultations can seem like a very convenient option for accessing general practice services, particularly for young, generally healthy people who want to see a GP quickly,” said Martin Marshall, vice chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners and author of the guidance. “But the ways some online services are provided raise patient safety concerns. People need to be aware of these, and properly understand what they are signing up to.”
Often, for example, patients will have consultations with unfamiliar GPs who do not have access to full patient records.
Online consultations can be beneficial for patients and many GP practices across the UK are using them in some form. “However, we want to ensure that they are being implemented in a way that is safe for patients, and alleviates pressures in general practice and across the NHS,” said Marshall.
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