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Observational Study
. 2021 Oct;53(8):102070.
doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2021.102070. Epub 2021 May 7.

[Impact of the eConsultation on the primary care agenda]

[Article in Spanish]
Pascual Roig Cabo  1 , Francesc López Seguí  2 , Rosa María Sierra Lujan  3 , Gemma Seda Gombau  4 , Nemesio Moreno Millán  5 , Pere Torán Monserrat  4
Affiliations
Observational Study

[Impact of the eConsultation on the primary care agenda]

[Article in Spanish]
Pascual Roig Cabo et al. Aten Primaria. 2021 Oct.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: A «before and after» type observational study was carried out to assess the impact of the virtual consultation (eConsulta) on the frequency with which the patient visits their primary care center once they have had their first virtual consultation.

Setting: Assigned population of the primary care center of Masnou-Alella and Ocata-Teià, Catalan Health Institute.

Participants: A random sampling was performed and 329 patients who engaged in eConsulta were compared with 329 statistically similar patients in age, sex and medical complexity who did not engage in eConsulta.

Principal mediations: Visits with primary care and nursing in their team are measured, both face-to-face, telephone and eConsulta, over the study period.

Results: Patients who performed virtual consultations showed a previous frequent attendance in primary care higher than those who did not perform eConsulta (4.44 medical visits year/versus 3.11). Following the use of the eConsulta, after a year of follow-up, frequency was reduced to levels of the control group (3.16 medical visits/year versus 3.00). After the first virtual visit, patients reduced face-to-face visits by 28.7%.

Conclusions: The eConsulta could be an effective tool to respond to the needs of patients who do not require a face-to-face visit, especially in the most frequent patients.

Objetivo: Se realiza un estudio observacional antes y después para valorar el efecto de la consulta virtual (eConsulta) sobre la frecuentación posterior que realiza el paciente a su centro de atención primaria una vez ha realizado su primera consulta virtual.

Emplazamiento: Población asignada de los Centros de Atención Primaria Masnou-Alella y Ocata-Teià del Institut Català de la Salut.

Participantes: Se realiza un muestreo aleatorizado y se comparan 329 pacientes que realizaron eConsultas respecto de 329 pacientes estadísticamente similares en edad, sexo y complejidad médica que no realizaron ninguna eConsulta.

Mediciones principales: Se midieron las visitas realizadas con medicina primaria y enfermería de su equipo, tanto presenciales, telefónicas y eConsultas, durante el periodo de estudio.

Resultados: Los pacientes que realizaron consultas virtuales mostraron una frecuentación previa en la atención primaria mayor que aquellos que no realizaron eConsultas (4,44 visitas médicas/año versus 3,11). Tras el uso de la eConsulta, después de un año de seguimiento, su frecuentación se redujo hasta niveles del grupo control (3,16 visitas médicas/año versus 3,00). Tras la primera visita virtual, los pacientes redujeron las visitas presenciales en un 28,7%.

Conclusiones: La eConsulta podría ser una herramienta eficaz para dar respuesta a las necesidades de los pacientes que no requieran de una visita presencial, en especial en los pacientes más frecuentadores.

Keywords: Atención primaria; Consulta en línea; Primary care; Remote consultation; Teleconsulta; Teleconsultation; Telemedicina; Telemedicine.

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