JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed various spheres of healthcare. The general practitioners (GPs) have widely replaced face-to-face consultations with telephone or video consultation (VC) to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Using video consultations for health service deliveries is an entirely new way of practicing for many GPs. Yet, this transition process has largely been carried out with no formal guidelines, which may have caused implementation barriers. This study presents a rapid-cycle co-production approach to develop a guide to assist VC implementation in general practice.

Objective:

The aim of this paper was to describe the developmental phases of the guide and to summarize the evaluation made by general practice users.

Methods:

The development of a guide for VC in general practice was structured as a stepped process based on co-production and prototyping processes. We used an iterative framework based on rapid qualitative analyses and interdisciplinary collaboration. Thus, the guide was developed in small, repeated cycles of development, implementation, evaluation, and adaptation with a continuous exchange between research and practice. The data collection process was structured in three main phases. First, we made a literature review and qualitative prestudies. Second, we facilitated co-production with stakeholders through four workshops with GPs, a group interview with patient representatives, and individual revisions by general practitioners. Third, nationwide testing was conducted in five general practice clinics and was followed by an evaluation of the guide through interviews with GPs.

Results:

A rapid-cycle co-production approach was used to explore the needs in general practice in connection with the implementation of VC and to develop useful, relevant, and easily understandable guiding materials. Our findings suggest that a guide for VC should include advice and recommendations regarding the organization of VC, the technical setup, the appropriate target groups, patients’ use of VC, the performance of VC, and the arrangement of booking.

Conclusions:

The combination of co-production, prototyping, small iterations, and rapid data analysis is a suitable approach when contextually rich, hands-on guide materials are urgently needed. Moreover, this method could provide an efficient way of developing relevant guide materials for general practice to aid the implementation of new technology beyond pandemic times. However, their potential can only be realized if the generated materials are adopted and sustained in practice. Hence, such a developmental approach should involve a plan for the continued engagement of stakeholders.