I have had several telephone consultations now. Most of them have been with nurses but one of two with doctors. Mostly I’ve found them fine but then I am very skilled on the phone - I’m a journalist by profession so it’s part of the skill set.
Last week I had a phone call with an out of hours GP. We used a dermatology website to diagnose shingles and then she prescribed treatment, sent it electronically to the pharmacy where I picked it up. It was just under three hours from first call to treatment in my hand and no risk of covid exposure.
I also had a phone consult with my lymphoedema nurse and hospice nurse, both of them thorough and useful.
I would say that on the whole nurses are better at telephone consults than doctors. I think they are more used to it. They have been doing follow up calls after hospital admissions for a long time - just as an example. GPs are also getting more used to them as most practices now offer telephone appointments. Hospital doctors just aren’t used to it. My sense is that seeing the patient is crucial to how they build the clinical picture.
problem was for me I didn’t despite my best endeavours get much feedback . I am someone who needs that. I am working on a book with a writer for my son , we had a zoom call and that went really well. If they didn’t want me in I would be happy with a zoom call for me. Take care x
