ArticleBJGP open2021
Inequalities in general practice remote consultations: a systematic review.
Article in BJGP open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 70 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
70 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 126 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Impact of Digitalization on European General Practice From the Perspective of General Practitioners: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Remote consultations in sexual and reproductive health services: a systematic review of evidence on effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, experiences, access and equity.Sexually transmitted infections · 2026Pooled it
- A conceptual framework and umbrella review of digital health technology interventions and health equity.BMC health services research · 2025Pooled it
- The Impact of Virtual Consultations on the Quality of Primary Care: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- The impact of remote care approaches on continuity in primary care: a mixed-studies systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2023Pooled it
- Understanding How the Design and Implementation of Online Consultations Affect Primary Care Quality: Systematic Review of Evidence With Recommendations for Designers, Providers, and Researchers.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Pooled it
- Real-time remote outpatient consultations in secondary and tertiary care: A systematic review of inequalities in invitation and uptake.PloS one · 2022Pooled it
- Fast-track and primary care in the emergency department: managing more, but not decongesting.Internal and emergency medicine · 2026Observational
- Barriers to Digital Health Utilization and Equity Among a Community Cohort of Adults with HIV in New York City.AIDS and behavior · 2026Article
- Older Chinese migrants' experiences of remote primary care in England: a semi-structured interview study.BJGP open · 2026Article
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- AI Triage in Primary Care: Building Safer and More Equitable Real-World Evidence.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Menopause care for diverse communities: a qualitative study of GP clinician experiences.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025Article
- Digitalization of Access to Primary Care: Is There an Equity-Efficiency Trade-Off?Health economics · 2025Article
- GPs' use of video and telephone consultation: implications for physical activity promotion for older adults. A mixed-methods study.BJGP open · 2025Article
- The impact and legacy of COVID-19 on community-based multidisciplinary teams organising integrated health and social care for older people with long-term conditions: Findings from the evaluation of the integrated care and support Pioneers.Journal of health services research & policy · 2025Article
- Article
- The overlooked challenges facing out-of-hours primary care in the NHS: a missed opportunity in policy.BJGP open · 2025Article
- The Dynamics of Doctor-Patient Communication During Remote Consultations: Qualitative Study Among Norwegian Contract General Practitioners.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Primary care physicians' experiences of video and online chat consultations: a qualitative descriptive study.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2025Article
10 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCOVID-19 has led to rapid and widespread use of remote consultations in general practice, but the health inequalities impact remains unknown.
aimTo explore the impact of remote consultations in general practice, compared to face-to-face consultations, on utilisation and clinical outcomes across socioeconomic and disadvantaged groups. DESIGN &
settingSystematic review.
methodThe authors undertook an electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception to June 2020. The study included studies that compared remote consultations to face-to-face consultations in primary care and reported outcomes by PROGRESS Plus criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I. Data were synthesised narratively.
resultsBased on 13 studies that explored telephone and internet-based consultations, this review found that telephone consultations were used by younger people of working age, the very old, and non-immigrants, with internet-based consultations more likely to be used by younger people. Women consistently used more remote forms of consulting than men. Socioeconomic and ethnicity findings were mixed, with weak evidence that patients from more affluent areas were more likely to use internet-based communication. Remote consultations appeared to help patients with opioid dependence remain engaged with primary care. No studies reported on the impact on quality of care or clinical outcomes.
conclusionRemote consultations in general practice are likely to be used more by younger, working people, non-immigrants, older patients, and women, with internet-based consultations more by younger, affluent, and educated groups. Widespread use of remote consultations should be treated with caution until the inequalities impact on clinical outcomes and quality of care is known.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.