Table 6 Perceived advantages and disadvantages of virtual care from the perspective of healthcare professionals
Perceived advantages | Perceived disadvantages |
|---|---|
Increased flexibility to meet patient, family, and provider needs Increased accessibility to care Perceived as a viable alternative to in-person care No change in therapist–patient relationship and establishment of therapeutic alliance Facilitated team organization and collaboration | Inequity in access to technology for providers and patients/families Privacy concerns for patients in their homes Technological difficulties Logistical and administrative difficulties Difficulty establishing therapeutic alliance and engaging unmotivated patients Difficulty reconciling ED care principles with limitations of virtual care (e.g., allowing patient to have a scale in their home to allow for weighing at a distance) Work-from-home and virtual meetings impede informal collaboration between colleagues Patients logging into sessions in public places Body image concerns may be exacerbated for patients when seeing themselves on screen |