Table 5 Risks and requirements in transitioning to digital modalities

Remote consulting required a discrete and often unfamiliar skillset that could:

• manage and troubleshoot technology [32, 82, 84];

• develop PCPs’ competence and confidence [70, 84];

• alleviate patient anxiety [84];

• recognise and respond to patients’ mental health issues [58]; and

• identify privacy issues such as for those at risk of domestic or family violence or abuse [58].

Maintaining service quality in the absence of physical contact was a new risk requiring attention and adaptation [28], that resulted from the inability to conduct physical examinations in virtual consultations [82], inaccessibility of usual point-of-care (POC) testing facilities [61], and lack of non-verbal cues when using the telephone [82]. Some patient groups required attention to specific needs such as communicating with culturally and linguistically diverse or hearing impaired patients [82, 84].