Benefits and limitations of video consultations

Discover the benefits of video consults

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

Benefits of telehealth consultations

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.)