Is virtual care about as good as an in-person appointment? Half of Albertans think so

An Alberta-wide survey on virtual care found almost half of patients in the province thought their experience with medicine delivered through videoconference technology was about the same as the care they would have received in a doctor’s office. The 2021 survey of about 900 Albertans, conducted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, also found close to 35% felt their experience was somewhat worse than an in-person visit while just under 10% thought virtual care was better. A large majority of Albertans reported no difficulties in making use of virtual care while about 10% said they were hampered by a lack of access to technology infrastructure and 7% were not comfortable with technology. Close to 5% expressed concerns about the diagnostic limitations of virtual care. Read: Alberta College of Pharmacy finalizes Standards of Practice for virtual care In addition to the survey, the college conducted a series of focus groups in urban and rural locations across the province. Through these focus groups, the college heard that Albertans appreciated the many advantages of virtual care, with many citing ease of access to care, more efficient appointments and reduced risk of spreading contagious conditions. The focus groups also heard that virtual care made it easier for patients to bring in a family member during their appointment and provided opportunities to consult with a medical team from across the province to discuss patient care. Concerns about virtual care did surface during the focus groups. Accessibility and technical barriers were among these concerns. Not all patients have the required technology—such as access to a reliable Internet connection–and are comfortable with using virtual care tools. There were also questions about whether or not physician’s offices have the ability to offer technical support when patients encounter problems with virtual care tools. Read: Virtu(al) and vice: 22 thoughts on care in 2022 Beyond technology-related issues, the focus groups uncovered concerns about the quality of care offered through a virtual appointment, the potential for miscommunication or missed information, confidentiality and the risk of weakening the personal connection between patient and physician. Many focus group participants said virtual care requires both physician and patient to put in more work to ensure they were communicating fully and understood each other. In general, participants said they viewed virtual care as a supplement to, rather than a substitute for, in-person care. They believed being in the room gave their doctor opportunities to observe the “whole person” while virtual care provided a more limited perspective. By comparison virtual care was considered largely to be more appropriate for follow-up appointments or for appointments not requiring a physical exam, and better suited for situations where the physician is familiar with the patient’s medical history. Read: Sask. inks $4.8M deal with local company to provide secure video conferencing for virtual care

Is virtual care about as good as an in-person appointment? Half of Albertans think so

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