Introduction to Consultations

Advantages of consults Convenient communication Easy access to health information and medications Easy to share information Relative anonymity No time limits Access to patient electronic medical records Easy for patients to record and re-read information

Disadvantages of consultation Lack of non-verbal cues Unable to perform physical examination Risk for miscommunication Risk for diagnostic error Potential to miss urgent cases or critically unwell

Ensuring safe consultations Only use encrypted iPrimaryCare Office s. – Or Communicate through Patient Knows Best electronic portal. Do not use other personal addresses.

Ensuring safe consultations is not suitable for urgent or emergency cases. Always consider the need for face to face consultation or physical examination. Think about the safety of all medications prescribed via .

Structuring Replies When ing for advice, patients often don’t provide all the information clinicians would want. It is quite easy to misinterpret the question the patient is asking and provide the answer to a completely different question. By structuring the reply you can avoid miscommunication.

Structuring Replies State the question you are answering Acknowledge the patients concerns and expectations. Answer the question and provide advice or links to further information Provide safety netting advice including timings for review if required.