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. 2025 Jan 8;27:e55158. doi: 10.2196/55158

Table 2.

Patient’s perception of access and use of e-consultations (N=13,011).

Topic and options Value, n (%)
Access and use of e-consultations

Who told you that sending an e-consultation to the GPa is possible?


Found the service myself 7466 (57.4)


The GP or the health receptionist 4553 (35)


Brochures, advertisements, or other written material 101 (0.8)


Friends, family, or colleagues 652 (5)


Other 239 (1.8)

Sending an e-consultation was my first choice to get an answer from my GP about my problem today.


Strongly agree 7497 (57.6)


Agree 2872 (22.1)


Neither agree nor disagree 1410 (10.8)


Disagree 804 (6.2)


Strongly disagree 428 (3.3)

Expected time to get an answer to this e-consultation


Within 12 hours 4445 (34.2)


Within 24 hours 4356 (33.5)


Within 48 hours 2340 (18)


Between 48 hours and 5 days 1860 (14.3)

Getting the e-consultation for free?b


Yes 1140 (8.8)


No 9201 (70.7)


Don’t know 2670 (20.5)

Would you have sent this e-consultation if you had to pay for it?c (n=1150)


Yes 870 (76.3)


No 141 (12.4)


I don’t know 139 (11.3)
Characteristics of the problem handled in the e-consultation

How concerned are you about the issue you sent an e-consultation for?


Not worried 4744 (36.5)


Somewhat worried 6443 (49.5)


Very worried 1824 (14)

Do you think the GP will answer this e-consultation by asking you to come to the office for a physical examination?


Yes 2310 (17.7)


No 5396 (41.5)


Don’t know 5305 (40.8)

All in all, how satisfied were you with contacting the GP through an e-consultation today?


Very satisfied 6495 (49.9)


Satisfied 4418 (34)


Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 1776 (13.6)


Dissatisfied 221 (1.7)


Very dissatisfied 101 (0.8)

aGP: general practitioner.

bSome patient groups receive free health care services, including e-consultations (eg, pregnant women, first-time military service members, and patients with high costs of health care services receiving exemption cards).

cQuestion was only asked to the ones who answered that they got the e-consultation for free.