| Banks 2017 (15) | UK | Qualitative interview study | Usage of electronic consultation system | 23 GPs | GPs and other health workers | 15 months in 2016 | • E-consultations (by mail) • Physical consultati | The technology did not justify the financial investment. | Evaluation of only one e-system | No |
| Atheron 2017 (16) | UK | Case study | What are the alternatives to physical consultation? | 45 staff members in GPs’ office | other health workers and patients | 10 months in 2015 and 2016 | • Telephone calls • Video calls • Mail | Implementing alternatives to physical consultation should be moderate and gradual. | One specific ethnic group was included | No |
| Newbould 2018 (17) | UK | Qualitative study | To identify enablers and barriers to adopting a telephone first approach | Semi- structured interview 53 GPs | GPs | 6 months in 2018 | • Telephone first approach | Approach is an improvement of previous system. | Only included staff who believe in this approach | No |
| Randhawa 2018 (18) | UK | Qualitative pilot study | Views of GPs on video consultations | Semi- structured interview 12 GPs | GPs | 1 month in 2014 | • Video consultations | Video consultations can be useful, practical. | Success of service depends on availability and quality of technology | No |
| Cowie 2018 (19) | UK | A multi- methods study | Evaluation of digital consultations | 11 GPs | GPs | 4 months in 2017 | • eConsult (web-based triage and consultation system) | GPs had high satisfaction, improves quality of care. | Short time, low number of participants | No |
| Zanaboni 2020 (20) | Norway | Online survey | Use and experience with e-consultation | 2,043 patients | patients | 14 days in 2017 | • E-consultations (by mail) | One of the first countries that implemented e-consultation, it improves the quality of care. | Online survey was used by patients who have computer knowledge, not applicable for the whole population | No |
| López Seguí 2020 (21) | Spain | Retro- spective cross-sectional study | Can teleconsultations reduce the number of visits? | 3,559 messages for 2,268 teleconsultations | GPs | 4 months in 2018 | • eConsulta (by mail) | Teleconsultations can reduce the number of visits. | No systemized approach, only a few GP were included | No |
| Sharma 2020 (22) | UK | Cross- sectional study | Satisfaction of patients with remote consultations | 95 GPs | GPs and other health workers | 1 month in 2020 | • Telephone calls • Video calls • Mail • Physical consultation | The implementation of remote consultation requires good financial support for the IT infrastructure. | Small sample | Yes |
| Morreel 2020 (23) | Belgium | Real-time observational study | Organizations and characteristics of primary care | 21 GPs 15,655 consultations | GPs | 5 weekends in 2019 | • Home visits • Telephone- • Physical consultation | GPs changed their way of working rapidly, almost immediately. | Safety problems | Yes |
| Murphy 2021 (24) | UK | A mix- methods longitudinal study | Impact of rapid implementation of remote consultations in pandemic of Covid-19 | 87 GPs | GPs and other health workers | 4 months in 2020 compared to 2019 | • Telephone calls • Video calls • Mail | Remote consultation is necessary. | Patients were not interviewed | Yes |
| Andreson 2021 (25) | UK | Satisfaction measurement using a four-step questionnaire | Satisfaction of patients with remote consultations | 104 patients | patients | 3 separate days in 2021 | • Telephone calls • Video calls | Remote consultations are effective complement to physical consultation. | Online survey was used by patients who have computer knowledge, not applicable for the whole population | No |
| Mathew 2021 (26) | Australia | Online survey | What kind of telehealth tool is the most acceptable for patients? | 154 patients | patients | 2 months in 2020 | • Telephone calls • Video calls | The perception of telephone consultation is strongly positive. | Study performed on a local level | No |
