Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34074319›Full record

ArticleIsrael journal of health policy research2021

WhatsApp Tele-Medicine - usage patterns and physicians views on the platform.

Edward Barayev, Omri Shental, Dotan Yaari, Elchanan Zloczower, Itai Shemesh, Michael Shapiro, Elon Glassberg, Racheli Magnezi

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Israel journal of health policy research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing 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

28 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Telerehabilitation for peripheral facial palsy: A scoping review.Journal of telemedicine and telecare · 2026
    Article
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  6. Review
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  8. Article
  9. Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Towards 'Formalising' WhatsApp Teledermatology Practice in KZ-N District Hospitals: Key Informant Interviews.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024
    Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
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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

8 authors.

Edward Barayev *Department of Public Health and Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel. Edward216@gmail.com.
Omri Shental *Department of Public Health and Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Dotan YaariDepartment of Public Health and Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Elchanan ZloczowerDepartment of Public Health and Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Itai ShemeshDepartment of Public Health and Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Michael ShapiroIsrael Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Elon GlassbergIsrael Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Racheli MagneziDepartment of Public Health and Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTelemedicine has become an integral part of health care delivery in recent years. One of the leading applications for this use is WhatsApp - a free smartphone application that allows instant messaging with pictures and videos. This study analyzed the emerging role of WhatsApp on reducing the need for referrals to medical specialists and to compare the views of physicians regarding WhatsApp consultations.

methodsA cross-sectional study based on an anonymous web-survey was conducted among PCPs and medical specialists working in the Israel Defense Forces Medical-Corps during September and October, 2019.

resultsOf 201 participants, 153 were PCPs and 48 were medical specialists. 86.9 % of PCPs and 86.5 % of specialists used WhatsApp every day in professional settings. Added workload, potential breaching of patient confidentiality and lack of full documentation of consultations were the main concerns among physicians using the application. 60.7 % of PCPs and 95.7 % of specialists stated that these consultations have reduced the need for in-person appointments at least once a week.

conclusionsIn times of COVID-19 that require social distancing, WhatsApp provides a simple, readily available platform for consultations between healthcare providers, even to the extent of rendering some in-person appointments unnecessary. Healthcare organizations should address the matters troubling healthcare providers, mainly patient confidentiality and lack of documentation in patients' medical records, while providing adequate compensation for those providing the service during and after work hours.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mobile ApplicationsAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDelivery of Health CareFemaleHumansIsraelMaleMiddle AgedPhysiciansReferral and ConsultationSmartphoneSurveys and QuestionnairesTelemedicineConsultationsSocial mediaTelemedicineWhatsApp

Identifiers

PMID34074319
PMCPMC8167384

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.