Benefits and limitations of video consultations

There are many benefits of video consultations, including:

• Improved accessibility of healthcare to people who may otherwise be unable to access health services due to geography and/or limited mobility
• Eliminates patient travel, increasing convenience for patients and reducing costs and/or time associated with traveling to/from clinics
• Reduce patient flow through healthcare services to limit infectious exposures to both patients and clinicians
• Expands the ability to connect with a broader range of healthcare providers and/or specialists, regardless of distance or location
• Increases safety by eliminating travel for those with mobility impairments or ill health

Limitations of video consultations include:

• Lack of physical contact means that assessment and management strategies need to be adapted from usual practice
• Internet connectivity issues may disrupt communication
• Communication may be difficult with some patient sub-groups eg children, individuals who are hearing and/or visually impaired
• Success is dependent on user’s (both patient and clinicians) ability to operate technology successfully and efficiently
• Quality of consultation can be impacted by the physical set-up of each user (eg lighting, background noise etc.)

Add INFOGRAPHIC