How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study
Objective Email consultations have become part of everyday doctor–patient communication in many countries. The objective of this study is to investigate how patients and general practitioners (GPs) perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultation drawing on a...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2020-10-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/10/e039442.full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846165846403055616 |
|---|---|
| author | Elisabeth Assing Hvidt Anette Grønning Matilde Nisbeth Brøgger Antoinette Fage-Butler |
| author_facet | Elisabeth Assing Hvidt Anette Grønning Matilde Nisbeth Brøgger Antoinette Fage-Butler |
| author_sort | Elisabeth Assing Hvidt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective Email consultations have become part of everyday doctor–patient communication in many countries. The objective of this study is to investigate how patients and general practitioners (GPs) perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultation drawing on a media-theoretical perspective.Design We analysed qualitative interview data from general practices in Denmark to identify salient themes.Participants Our data set consists of semi-structured interviews with 30 patients and 23 GPs. The data were collected from February 2016 to September 2019.Results The following themes emerged: (1) lower contact threshold, (2) accessing a new interaction space and (3) access to access. From the patients’ perspective, email consultations provided more convenient contact with their GP. From the GPs’ perspective, email consultations facilitated contact with patients whom they otherwise rarely saw, but also resulted in overuse and inappropriate use. Patients and GPs considered email consultations as inviting new interactions, facilitating also communication about emotional and sensitive issues. Both patients and GPs experienced email consultations as a way in which patients could achieve easier access to face-to-face consultations (access to access).Conclusion Drawing on a media perspective, this study adds knowledge of how the potentials of the medium of email consultations are perceived by GPs and patients. Email consultations do not simply extend existing forms of contact and consultation (face-to-face and telephone); they produce a new communication space with its own possibilities which result in new practices. With increasing use of email consultations, there may be challenges involved in transferring GP–patient communication to the written medium. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-909f99b1f2524f7ca72ea6fff1b847a4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-909f99b1f2524f7ca72ea6fff1b847a42024-11-17T02:30:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-10-01101010.1136/bmjopen-2020-039442How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative studyElisabeth Assing Hvidt0Anette Grønning1Matilde Nisbeth Brøgger2Antoinette Fage-Butler3Research Unit of General Practice, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Region of Southern Denmark, DenmarkDepartment for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, DenmarkSchool of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, DenmarkSchool of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, DenmarkObjective Email consultations have become part of everyday doctor–patient communication in many countries. The objective of this study is to investigate how patients and general practitioners (GPs) perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultation drawing on a media-theoretical perspective.Design We analysed qualitative interview data from general practices in Denmark to identify salient themes.Participants Our data set consists of semi-structured interviews with 30 patients and 23 GPs. The data were collected from February 2016 to September 2019.Results The following themes emerged: (1) lower contact threshold, (2) accessing a new interaction space and (3) access to access. From the patients’ perspective, email consultations provided more convenient contact with their GP. From the GPs’ perspective, email consultations facilitated contact with patients whom they otherwise rarely saw, but also resulted in overuse and inappropriate use. Patients and GPs considered email consultations as inviting new interactions, facilitating also communication about emotional and sensitive issues. Both patients and GPs experienced email consultations as a way in which patients could achieve easier access to face-to-face consultations (access to access).Conclusion Drawing on a media perspective, this study adds knowledge of how the potentials of the medium of email consultations are perceived by GPs and patients. Email consultations do not simply extend existing forms of contact and consultation (face-to-face and telephone); they produce a new communication space with its own possibilities which result in new practices. With increasing use of email consultations, there may be challenges involved in transferring GP–patient communication to the written medium.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/10/e039442.full |
| spellingShingle | Elisabeth Assing Hvidt Anette Grønning Matilde Nisbeth Brøgger Antoinette Fage-Butler How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study BMJ Open |
| title | How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study |
| title_full | How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study |
| title_short | How do patients and general practitioners in Denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations? A media-theoretical qualitative study |
| title_sort | how do patients and general practitioners in denmark perceive the communicative advantages and disadvantages of access via email consultations a media theoretical qualitative study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/10/e039442.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elisabethassinghvidt howdopatientsandgeneralpractitionersindenmarkperceivethecommunicativeadvantagesanddisadvantagesofaccessviaemailconsultationsamediatheoreticalqualitativestudy AT anettegrønning howdopatientsandgeneralpractitionersindenmarkperceivethecommunicativeadvantagesanddisadvantagesofaccessviaemailconsultationsamediatheoreticalqualitativestudy AT matildenisbethbrøgger howdopatientsandgeneralpractitionersindenmarkperceivethecommunicativeadvantagesanddisadvantagesofaccessviaemailconsultationsamediatheoreticalqualitativestudy AT antoinettefagebutler howdopatientsandgeneralpractitionersindenmarkperceivethecommunicativeadvantagesanddisadvantagesofaccessviaemailconsultationsamediatheoreticalqualitativestudy |