RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Translating in-person care to telehealth: a secondary analysis of GP consultations on musculoskeletal conditions
JF BJGP Open
JO BJGP Open
FD Royal College of General Practitioners
SP BJGPO.2024.0013
DO 10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0013
VO 9
IS 1
A1 Li, Yifu
A1 Chan, Simon
A1 Lu, Lawrence
A1 Jackson, Tim M
A1 Rahimi-Ardabili, Hania
A1 Lau, Annie YS
YR 2025
UL http://bjgpopen.org/content/9/1/BJGPO.2024.0013.abstract
AB Background The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid transition to telehealth, particularly in general practice where continuous care for chronic conditions, such as musculoskeletal (MSK), is provided.Aim To determine the appropriateness of telehealth for MSK conditions by identifying whether in-person tasks can be supported remotely via telehealth.Design & setting This study is a secondary analysis of the Harnessing Resources from the Internet (HaRI) dataset. This dataset comprises of 281 videos of recorded GP consultations. The dataset includes 10 GPs, across eight separate clinics, and was collected during 2017 in the UK.Method Content analysis was conducted to identify the clinical tasks, physical examinations, and physical artefacts used during the consultations. A scoring method applying two key metrics was developed to assess the translatability of clinical tasks to telehealth.Results Across the 31 MSK consultations analysed, 12 clinical tasks, five physical examinations, and 12 physical artefacts were observed. Of clinical tasks, 17% (n = 2/12) were deemed to be ‘easily translatable over telehealth’ and 50% (n = 6/12) were deemed ‘relatively easy to be translated over telehealth’. Only 17% (n = 2/12) of tasks were rated ‘moderately translatable over telehealth’, and 17% (n = 2/12) were deemed ‘potentially translatable over telehealth’. No clinical tasks in this study were categorised as untranslatable to telehealth. The average telehealth translatability score was 7.1/10.Conclusion Most clinical tasks observed during in-person GP consultations with patients with MSK conditions are translatable to telehealth. Further research is necessary to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of telehealth utilisation for MSK conditions in primary care.