Online consultations improve knowledge transfer

Internet consultations between doctors and specialists capitalise on knowledge generated at centres of excellence and reduce geographical variability. Kedar and colleagues (p 696) conducted a retrospective case review of the first year of online consultations between doctors around the world and consulting specialists at a health maintenance organisation in Boston, USA. Analysing 79 internet based consultations, they found that new treatment was recommended in 90% of cases and a change in diagnosis occurred in 5% of cases. Moreover, patients had faster access to specialist opinions than they would if waiting to see a specialist.

(Credit: ANTONIA REEVE/SPL)

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Relevant Article

Internet based consultations to transfer knowledge for patients requiring specialised care: retrospective case review

Iris Kedar, Joseph L Ternullo, Carol E Weinrib, Kathleen M Kelleher, Heather Brandling-Bennett, and Joseph C Kvedar
BMJ 2003 326: 696-699. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]