Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33185136›Full record

ArticleScandinavian journal of primary health care2020

Not just an information-delivery tool. An ethnographic study exploring Danish GPs' perspectives on and experiences with the relational potential of email consultation.

Elisabeth Assing Hvidt, Jens Søndergaard, Maja Klausen, Anette Grønning

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Elisabeth Assing HvidtResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Jens SøndergaardResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Maja KlausenDepartment for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Anette GrønningDepartment for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo explore GPs' perspectives on and daily experiences with the relational potential of email consultations.

designQualitative study with data from participant observation and semi-structured interviews.

settingGeneral practice setting in Denmark. SUBJECTS: Practice personnel from four clinics were observed and 16 GPs (seven women and nine men, between 35 and 70 years of age) interviewed. Field notes and interview data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

main outcome measuresMain themes and subthemes reporting GPs' perspectives on and experiences with the relational potential of email consultations.

resultsThe analyses showed that due to perceived interpretational shortcomings, the GPs generally experienced email consultation as unsuitable for communication about relational, socio-emotional and sensitive matters. In doctor-patient relationships founded on mutual knowledge and trust, the email consultation was however used as a supportive communication channel, as a way for the patient to express emotions and affect and for the GP to proactively show interest and compassion towards the patient.

conclusionEmail consultations were highly context-variant. Within continuing relationships and in conjunction with face-to-face consultations, email consultation was used for supportive communication holding the potential for maintaining, strengthening and/or dissolving the GP-patient relationship. Therefore, email consultation is not simply an information-delivery tool but also holds more explicit relational potentials. KEY POINTS Overall, the GPs perceived email consultation as unsuitable for non-medical, relationship-oriented purposes. Nonetheless, the GPs experienced that email consultations oftentimes comprised communication about relational and socio-emotional issues. Knowledge of the patient was a vital factor for the GP's comfort in and acceptability of relational functions of email consultation. Email consultation is not simply an information-delivery tool as it holds the potential for maintaining, strengthening and/or dissolving the GP-patient relationship.

Indexed as

Electronic MailGeneral PractitionersReferral and ConsultationAttitude of Health PersonnelDenmarkFemaleHumansMalePhysician-Patient RelationsQualitative ResearchDenmarkdoctor–patient relationshipEmail consultationgeneral practiceinteractive health communication

Identifiers

PMID33185136
PMCPMC7782285

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.