2024/07/19 by Christopher Thomas Callaghan, Conor Cunningham, Roger O’Sullivan · 1 voice
Business, Management and Accounting · Medicine · #Healthcare Systems and Technology #Physical Activity and Health #Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
paper · pdf · doi:10.3399/bjgpo.2023.0256
openalex publication_date 2024/07/19 · openalex created_date 2024/07/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/27
The COVID-19 pandemic led GPs to adopt video consultation and telephone consultation (VC/TC) as part of routine practice. The potential impact on physical activity (PA) promotion and prescription for older adults, in routine practice, was unknown. AIM: To understand how VC/TC have impacted on the routine promotion of PA to older adults in GP consultations. DESIGN & SETTING: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional study of GPs was conducted in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) and Northern Ireland (NI) in 2020/2021. METHOD: An online survey and interviews were conducted with GPs that explored awareness of PA guidelines, PA promotion during consultations to older adults (aged ≥65 years), and the impact on routine practice of moving to VC/TC during the pandemic. RESULTS: GPs from across the island of Ireland (NI and RoI) agreed that PA promotion is part of routine practice. Analysis of interviews with GPs highlighted a need to develop practitioners' knowledge of the guidelines, and themes emerged around the use of VC/TC in routine practice. The positive themes highlighted that VC/TC enabled GPs to consult with a greater number of patients compared with face-to-face consultation (FTFC). Barriers to using VC/TC included decreased visual assessments of patients face to face (FTF). CONCLUSION: GPs are continuing to use VC/TC at the initial consultation stage, but the broader and longer-term implications on PA promotion with older adults are unknown.