Patients are increasingly resorting to telemedicine for medical treatment over physical visits to the GP’s surgery, new research shows.
One in four people (25 per cent) report not having visited their GP in the past year, up from 15 per cent in 2020, according to the research commissioned by the Medical Council. Further, the number of patients making frequent visits to the GP is dropping: in 2020 some 23 per cent of patients reported going to the doctor every couple of months; this year the equivalent figure is just 8 per cent.
The use of telemedicine - a consultation by video or phone - has soared, with 24 per cent of adults accessing these services in the past year, including 21 per cent who have used GP services remotely. This compares to just 2 per cent seeing the doctor by telemedicine in 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Telemedicine usage is highest among 35-49-year-olds, and people living in Dublin.
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Some 9 per cent of people had used social media to seek guidance from doctors using this medium to post advice. But of those who have used social media in this way, only 11 per cent checked if the doctors were registered.
Doctors rank as the second most trusted profession in society (after teachers), the research also shows. Nine in 10 people (89 per cent) trust their doctor to tell the truth.
The survey of over 1,000 adults was released to coincide with the publication by the Medical Council of the ninth edition of its Guide to Professional Conduct & Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners. The first revision of the guide in four years includes new and revised guidance for doctors on social media and acting as expert witnesses.
New advice is also provided on managing situations with patients, covering “honesty, integrity, putting patients first, treatment of patients with dignity and respect”.
The revised guide encourages doctors to seek other sources of guidance to inform their practice, including national and international standards and policies, and guidelines specific to particular specialities.
Medical Council president Dr Suzanne Crowe said the guide and its additions “reflect the most current, pertinent and inclusive guidance on a wide range of scenarios that impact the medical profession”.
“Our public opinion research shows that doctors continue to be among the most trusted professions in Ireland. This is a privilege, and one we do not take for granted.”
