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. 2024 Apr 3;57(1):73-90.
doi: 10.1080/08351813.2024.2305045. eCollection 2024.

Communication in Telehealth: A State-of-the-Art Literature Review of Conversation-Analytic Research

Lucas M Seuren  1   2 , Sakari Ilomäki  3 , Evi Dalmaijer  4 , Sara E Shaw  1 , Wyke J P Stommel  4
Affiliations

Communication in Telehealth: A State-of-the-Art Literature Review of Conversation-Analytic Research

Lucas M Seuren et al. Res Lang Soc Interact. .

Abstract

We provide a state-of-the-art review of research on conversation analysis and telehealth. We conducted a systematic review of the literature, focusing on studies that investigate how technology is procedurally consequential for the interaction. We discerned three key topics: the interactional organization, the therapeutic relationship, and the clinical activities of the encounter. The literature on telehealth is highly heterogeneous, with significant differences between text-based care (e.g., via chat or e-mail) and audio(visual) care (e.g., via telephone or video). We discuss the extent to which remote care can be regarded as a demarcated field for study or whether the medium is merely part of the "context," particularly when investigating hybrid and polymedia forms of care involving multiple technological media.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Topical organization of CA and telehealth.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Extract from CA-informed resources on video consulting for clinicians.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Screenshot of video consultation recorded in MS teams with the patient’s arms not fully visible during assessment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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