Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2020
Not just an information-delivery tool. An ethnographic study exploring Danish GPs' perspectives on and experiences with the relational potential of email consultation.
To explore GPs' perspectives on and daily experiences with the relational potential of email consultations. ⋯ Email 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.