RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Medication prescribing in face-to-face versus telehealth consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australian general practice: a retrospective observational study JF BJGP Open JO BJGP Open FD Royal College of General Practitioners SP BJGPO.2021.0132 DO 10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0132 VO 6 IS 1 A1 Wabe, Nasir A1 Thomas, Judith A1 Sezgin, Gorkem A1 Sheikh, Muhammad Kashif A1 Gault, Emma A1 Georgiou, Andrew YR 2022 UL http://bjgpopen.org/content/6/1/BJGPO.2021.0132.abstract AB Background There has been a precipitous rise in telehealth use in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding differences between face-to-face and telehealth consulting is an important component for planning the future use of telehealth services beyond the pandemic. However, there is limited evidence on whether telehealth consulting impacts medication prescribing under pandemic circumstances.Aim To compare medication prescribing in face-to-face consultations with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australian general practice.Design & setting A multisite, retrospective observational study. De-identified routinely collected electronic health data were used, which were extracted from 806 general practices in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between April and December 2020.Method The primary outcome measure was whether at least one medication was prescribed following a telehealth or face-to-face consultation. Data were reported by medication and for each of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system level 1 groups. The secondary outcome measure was first-time prescribing. Telehealth included both telephone and video consultations.Results A total of 13 608 216 consultations satisfied the inclusion criteria (61.0% face to face and 39.0% telehealth). Most telehealth consultations were conducted via telephone (97.8%). Overall, 39.3% of face-to-face and 33.0% of telehealth consultations prescribed at least one medication, which is a statistically significant difference (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.379 to 1.381). The prescribing rate was greater for face-to-face versus telehealth consultations for all drug groups except ATC level 1N (nervous system).Conclusion Under COVID-19 restrictions in the states of Victoria and NSW, Australia, medication prescribing was higher in face-to-face consultations when compared with telehealth consultations in the study population.