Video consultations are here to stay

Helen Salisbury, 29 JulySalisbury voices her disappointment with video consultations in general practice.1 In my clinical practice in a large regional renal centre, video consultations are a safe, efficient, and popular part of care. My specialty is perhaps ideally suited to this approach as it relies on laboratory results (kidney function, urine tests, and others) and parameters that can be obtained by the patient (home blood pressure and weight). In the future, point-of-care at home technology will further expand the portfolio of parameters that can be used. Both urine and blood testing from home are already feasible.2All health systems need to make serious efficiency savings and face-to-face care incurs significant overhead cost. Climate change will be an additional driver of change.3 Forcing all patients to commute for basic follow-ups will soon become unaffordable or inappropriate. Carbon dioxide savings can be achieved through video consultations, particularly where care providers serve a…
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