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Trends in the use of video consultation in general practice during COVID-19 : impact of practice and country characteristics based on the international, cross-sectional PRICOV-19 study

Kirk, Ulrik Bak ; Pellin, Maria de la Cruz Gomez ; Hoffmann, Kathryn ; Stummer, Florian Odilo ; Van Poel, Esther ; Vestergaard, Claus Høstrup ; Holm, Anne ; Tatsioni, Athina ; Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando LU orcid and Neves, Ana Luisa , et al. (2025) In BMC Primary Care 26(1).
Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of telemedicine, specifically video consultations as they provide healthcare access in challenging situations where face-to-face encounters are not possible. Nevertheless, it remains largely unknown to what extent the organisation of general practice and national digital infrastructures have impacted the uptake and use of video consultations. Objective: This study examined the variation in use of video consultations in general practice across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored associations with practice- and country-level characteristics. Methods: This study is part of the international PRICOV-19 project, using data from an online survey and additional questions from... (More)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of telemedicine, specifically video consultations as they provide healthcare access in challenging situations where face-to-face encounters are not possible. Nevertheless, it remains largely unknown to what extent the organisation of general practice and national digital infrastructures have impacted the uptake and use of video consultations. Objective: This study examined the variation in use of video consultations in general practice across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored associations with practice- and country-level characteristics. Methods: This study is part of the international PRICOV-19 project, using data from an online survey and additional questions from national leads. First, we conducted a rapid literature search to support an evidence-based selection of the PRICOV-19 main survey items and additional questions aligned with our aims. Then, we included five practice-level and nine country-level characteristics, as well as COVID-19 intensity characteristics, as independent variables in the analysis. Finally, we conducted a linear mixed model analysis at the country-level, examining five models incrementally within a one-level random intercept regression model. Results: Data from 5,065 general practices in 38 countries revealed that fewer than half (47.5%) utilized video consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Usage was highest in the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Scandinavia, and France (82.6–94.4%) and the lowest in Portugal, Spain, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic (11.1–23.1%). At practice-level, key factors associated with higher usage included having more patients than average with a history of migration and difficulty speaking the local language, being a self-employed general practitioner, having a higher number of registered patients, and being urban-based. At country level, only accessible and affordable internet was statistically significantly associated with use of video consultations. Conclusions: The study corroborates some established trends in telemedicine adoption while also providing new insights into specific practice-level factors that facilitated the use of video consultations in general practice across European countries during COVID-19. While some factors are universally influential, particularly internet access and affordability, others are more context-dependent. Trial registration: Not applicable.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
COVID-19, general practice, equity, Telemedicine, Video consultation
in
BMC Primary Care
volume
26
issue
1
article number
205
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:105010393734
  • pmid:40604477
ISSN
2731-4553
DOI
10.1186/s12875-025-02892-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3ae4a50f-4b82-48dd-849f-7eb7f47ed3bd
date added to LUP
2025-10-28 10:29:09
date last changed
2025-11-25 12:44:53
@article{3ae4a50f-4b82-48dd-849f-7eb7f47ed3bd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of telemedicine, specifically video consultations as they provide healthcare access in challenging situations where face-to-face encounters are not possible. Nevertheless, it remains largely unknown to what extent the organisation of general practice and national digital infrastructures have impacted the uptake and use of video consultations. Objective: This study examined the variation in use of video consultations in general practice across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored associations with practice- and country-level characteristics. Methods: This study is part of the international PRICOV-19 project, using data from an online survey and additional questions from national leads. First, we conducted a rapid literature search to support an evidence-based selection of the PRICOV-19 main survey items and additional questions aligned with our aims. Then, we included five practice-level and nine country-level characteristics, as well as COVID-19 intensity characteristics, as independent variables in the analysis. Finally, we conducted a linear mixed model analysis at the country-level, examining five models incrementally within a one-level random intercept regression model. Results: Data from 5,065 general practices in 38 countries revealed that fewer than half (47.5%) utilized video consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Usage was highest in the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Scandinavia, and France (82.6–94.4%) and the lowest in Portugal, Spain, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic (11.1–23.1%). At practice-level, key factors associated with higher usage included having more patients than average with a history of migration and difficulty speaking the local language, being a self-employed general practitioner, having a higher number of registered patients, and being urban-based. At country level, only accessible and affordable internet was statistically significantly associated with use of video consultations. Conclusions: The study corroborates some established trends in telemedicine adoption while also providing new insights into specific practice-level factors that facilitated the use of video consultations in general practice across European countries during COVID-19. While some factors are universally influential, particularly internet access and affordability, others are more context-dependent. Trial registration: Not applicable.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kirk, Ulrik Bak and Pellin, Maria de la Cruz Gomez and Hoffmann, Kathryn and Stummer, Florian Odilo and Van Poel, Esther and Vestergaard, Claus Høstrup and Holm, Anne and Tatsioni, Athina and Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando and Neves, Ana Luisa and Bravo, Raquel Gomez and Asenova, Radost and Mallen, Christian and Bojaj, Gazmend and Rochfort, Andree and Bussche, Pierre Vanden and Collins, Claire and Willems, Sara and Bro, Flemming and Rohrbasser, Adrian and Huibers, Linda}},
  issn         = {{2731-4553}},
  keywords     = {{COVID-19, general practice, equity; Telemedicine; Video consultation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Primary Care}},
  title        = {{Trends in the use of video consultation in general practice during COVID-19 : impact of practice and country characteristics based on the international, cross-sectional PRICOV-19 study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02892-0}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12875-025-02892-0}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}