Table 2.

Summary of emergent themes

Theme	Category	Unit meaning
Telehealth use means the use of a telephone for many. (What is telehealth)	A call	Appointment setting. A call to my doctor. A call to the insurance. A call to my mum sister, friends and grandparents. No gender differences in telehealth use. Internet search but do not tell doctor.
	Internet search for symptoms	Internet search as both an empowerment tool and scaremonger.
	Barriers	Socioeconomic status education, language and communication skills (why foreigners flood ED). Apps complicated to use, limited to COVID-19 apps and certificate. Hotlines staffed with unqualified staff. Calls not answered, jammed lines. Fear of viruses and data security breaches.
Telehealth has both remits and limits	Telehealth remit	Triage and monitoring. Nudging people to seek care and anonymity. Conditions associated with stigma and shame. Rural populations.
	Telehealth limits	Parents still go to paediatrician or ED after telehealth use. GP model is better for the elderly. Not suitable for severe pain, children, older people and mental health patients. Apps can be manipulated. Second-class medicine for some groups. Accountability issues. Potential for errors.
Future telehealth opportunities and threats	Opportunities	Equitable access to healthcare. Telehealth for monitoring. Sports apps. Potential to improve access to care and triage mental health.
	Threats	Human factor element (power of voice). GPs have no time, time spent on documentation, concern for healthcare worker mental health issue. Pharmacies as proxies to telehealth. Opportunity to ask questions. Second-class medicine for the not haves.

ED, Emergency Department.