Video-conferencing: under-used by rural general practitioners

Abstract

The objective was to investigate the use of and value General Practitioners place on video-conferencing as a tool in providing rural health care. The participants were 8 rural general practitioners in rural Victoria towns. I found that six out of the eight GPs did not value video-conferencing as a tool to assist with patient care, and the other two GPs were interested in the technology only for certain aspects of support with patient consultations and continuing education. I conclude that there needs to be a review of whether video-conferencing equipment should continue to be implemented in the same way that it has been so far in Victoria, and of the cost-effectiveness of providing video-conferencing facilities in rural health services. In particular, there needs to be a review of whether more training and support for rural general practitioners is needed to increase the uptake of video-conferencing. Alternatively, analysis can be undertaken of the intrinsic value of using video-conferencing as an interactive tool for obtaining specialist support for patient care or undertaking continuing education via video-conferencing, and the program discontinued if it is found to be unwarranted.