Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services
Telephone counselling and the tendency to seek care from a physical care provider
Healthcare counselling can be provided remotely via telephone by a nurse. The nurse can during the call assess the condition in question, provide support and sometimes give self-care advice, as well as referring the patients to the right care institution. Healthcare counselling by telephone also aims to reduce the pressure on the clinics, in terms of number of office visits.
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Question
What systematic reviews are there on the effect of telephone counseling on the patients' tendency to seek care from a physical care provider?
Table with identified studies
| Included studies | Population/Intervention | Outcome |
| Lake et al 2017 [2] | ||
| 10 systematic reviews including 5 on health service utilisation | Telephone based triage and advice services (excluding reviews which were related only to the use of telephone advice for a specific population) | Effect: Access, appropriateness, patient compliance, patient satisfaction, cost, safety, health service utilisation, clinical workload and clinical outcomes |
| Authors' conclusion: “Patient satisfaction with Telephone triage and advice services (TTAS) was generally high and there is some consistency of evidence of the ability of TTAS to reduce clinical workload. Measures of the safety of TTAS tended to show that there is no major difference between TTAS and traditional care. Taken as a whole, current evidence does not provide definitive answers to questions about the quality of care provided, access and equity of the service, its costs and outcomes. The available evidence also suggests that there are many interactional factors (e.g., relationship with other health service providers) which can impact on measures of performance, and also affect the external validity of the research findings.” |
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References
- Lake R, Georgiou A, Li J, Ling L, Byrne M, Robinson M, et al. The quality, safety and governance of telephone triage and advice services - an overview of evidence from systematic reviews. BMC Health Services Research 2017;17:1-10.
Literature search
| The search result, usually found at the end of the documentation, forms the list of abstracts. [MeSH] = Term from the Medline controlled vocabulary, including terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; [MeSH:NoExp] = Does not include terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; [MAJR] = MeSH Major Topic; [TIAB] = Title or abstract; [TI] = Title; [AU] = Author; [TW] = Text Word; Systematic[SB] = Filter for retrieving systematic reviews; * = Truncation; “ “ = Citation Marks; searches for an exact phrase | ||
| Search terms | Items found | |
| Intervention: | ||
| 1. | ((((((((Telemedicine[MeSH Terms]) OR Distance Counseling[MeSH Terms])) OR (”tele consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”tele consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR ”telephone consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”telephone consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR ”phone consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”phone consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR ”phone-based consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”phone-based consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR ”tele-based consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”tele-based consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR ”telephone-based consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”telephone-based consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR “telehealth”[Title/Abstract] OR “tele counceling”[Title/Abstract] OR “tele councelling”[Title/Abstract] OR “telephone counceling”[Title/Abstract] OR “telephone councelling”[Title/Abstract] OR “phone counceling”[Title/Abstract] OR “phone councelling”[Title/Abstract] OR “phone-based counceling”[Title/Abstract] OR “phone-based councelling”[Title/Abstract] OR “telephone-based counceling”[Title/Abstract] OR “telephone-based councelling”[Title/Abstract] OR “tele-based counceling”[Title/Abstract] OR “tele-based councelling”[Title/Abstract] OR “remote counselling”[Title/Abstract] OR “remote counseling”[Title/Abstract] OR ”remote consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR ”remote consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR “distance consultation”[Title/Abstract] OR “distance consultations”[Title/Abstract] OR “distance counseling”[Title/Abstract] OR “distance counselling”[Title/Abstract] OR telenursing[Title/Abstract] OR “telephone nursing”[Title/Abstract] OR “phone-based nursing”[Title/Abstract] OR ”tele-based nursing”[Title/Abstract] OR ”telephone-based nursing”[Title/Abstract]))) | 27 354 |
| Outcome: | ||
| 2. | (("Patient Admission"[Mesh] OR "Office Visits"[Mesh] OR visit*[Title/Abstract] OR access*[Title/Abstract] OR use[Title/Abstract] OR admission*[Title/Abstract] OR seek*[Title/Abstract] OR workload[Title/Abstract] OR utili*[Title/Abstract] OR impact*[Title/Abstract] OR "care-seeker"[Title/Abstract] OR "care-seekers"[Title/Abstract] OR "care-seeking"[Title/Abstract] OR "care seeker"[Title/Abstract] OR "care seekers"[Title/Abstract] OR "care seeking"[Title/Abstract] OR health-seek*[Title/Abstract] OR "health seeker"[Title/Abstract] OR "health seekers"[Title/Abstract] OR "health seeking"[Title/Abstract] OR "patient behaviour"[Title/Abstract] OR "patient behaviours"[Title/Abstract] OR "patient behavior"[Title/Abstract] OR "patient behaviors"[Title/Abstract] OR "patient action"[Title/Abstract] OR "patient actions"[Title/Abstract])) AND ("healthcare"[Title/Abstract] OR "health care"[Title/Abstract] OR "health service"[Title/Abstract] OR "health services"[Title/Abstract] OR "health facility"[Title/Abstract] OR "health facilities"[Title/Abstract]) | 213 937 |
| Combined sets: | ||
| 3. | 1 AND 2 | 4 028 |
| Study types: | ||
| 4. | Systematic[sb] | 134 374 |
| 5. | ((clinical[Title/Abstract] AND trial[Title/Abstract]) OR clinical trials[MeSH Terms] OR clinical trial[Publication Type] OR random*[Title/Abstract] OR random allocation[MeSH Terms] OR therapeutic use[MeSH Subheading]) | 5 241 420 |
| 6. | ((((("Economics"[Mesh:NoExp] OR "Costs and Cost Analysis"[Mesh] OR "Economics, Dental"[Mesh] OR "Economics, Hospital"[Mesh] OR "Economics, Medical"[Mesh] OR "Economics, Nursing"[Mesh] OR "Economics, Pharmaceutical"[Mesh] OR economic*[Title/Abstract] OR cost[Title/Abstract] OR costs[Title/Abstract] OR costly[Title/Abstract] OR costing[Title/Abstract] OR price[Title/Abstract] OR prices[Title/Abstract] OR pricing[Title/Abstract] OR pharmacoeconomic*[Title/Abstract] OR "health economy"[Title/Abstract] OR "health economics"[Title/Abstract] OR "value for money"[Title/Abstract] OR budget*[Title/Abstract] OR (expenditure*[Title/Abstract] NOT energy[Title/Abstract])) NOT (energy cost[Title/Abstract] OR oxygen cost[Title/Abstract] OR metabolic cost[Title/Abstract] OR energy expenditure[Title/Abstract] OR oxygen expenditure[Title/Abstract]))))) | 876 776 |
| Final sets: | ||
| 7. | 3 AND 4 (systematic reviews) | 1 835 |
| 8. | 3 AND 5 (clinical trials) | 789 |
| 9. | 3 AND 6 (health economics) | 1 412 |
| The search result, usually found at the end of the documentation, forms the list of abstracts. au = Author; MeSH = Term from the Medline controlled vocabulary, including terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; this term only = Does not include terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; :ti = Title; :ab = Abstract; :kw = Keyword; * = Truncation; “ “ = Citation Marks; searches for an exact phrase | ||
| Search terms | Items found | |
| Intervention: | ||
| 1. | MeSH descriptor: [Telemedicine] explode all trees | 2 096 |
| 2. | MeSH descriptor: [Distance Counseling] explode all trees | 10 |
| 3. | OR 2 | 2 104 |
| 4. | ”tele consultation” OR ”tele consultations” OR ”telephone consultation” OR ”telephone consultations” OR ”phone consultation” OR ”phone consultations” OR ”phone-based consultation” OR ”phone-based consultations” OR ”tele-based consultation” OR ”tele-based consultations” OR ”telephone-based consultation” OR ”telephone-based consultations” OR “telehealth” OR “tele counceling” OR “tele councelling” OR “telephone counceling” OR “telephone councelling” OR “phone counceling” OR “phone councelling” OR “phone-based counceling” OR “phone-based councelling” OR “telephone-based counceling” OR “telephone-based councelling” OR “tele-based counceling” OR “tele-based councelling” OR “remote counselling” OR “remote counseling” OR ”remote consultation” OR ”remote consultations” OR “distance consultation” OR “distance consultations” OR “distance counseling” OR “distance counselling” OR telenursing OR “telephone nursing” OR “phone-based nursing” OR ”tele-based nursing” OR ”telephone-based nursing”:ti,ab,kw | 1 998 |
| 5. | 3 OR 4 | 3 481 |
| Outcome: | ||
| 6. | MeSH descriptor: [Patient Admission] explode all trees | 561 |
| 7. | MeSH descriptor: [Office Visits] explode all trees | 441 |
| 8. | 6 OR 7 | 999 |
| 9. | visit* OR access* OR use OR admission* OR seek* OR workload OR utili* OR impact* OR “care-seeker” OR “care-seekers” OR “care-seeking” OR "care seeker" OR "care seekers" OR "care seeking" OR health-seek* OR "health seeker" OR "health seekers" OR "health seeking" OR "patient behaviour" OR "patient behaviours" OR "patient behavior" OR "patient behaviors" OR "patient action" OR "patient actions":ti,ab,kw | 1 115 225 |
| 10. | 8 OR 9 | 1 115 225 |
| 11. | “healthcare” OR “health care” OR “health service” OR “health services” OR “health facility” OR “health facilities”:ti,ab,kw | 84 602 |
| Final | 5 AND 10 AND 11 Cochrane reviews: 99 Cochrane Protocols: 27 Trials: 1420 Editorials: 1 Clinical answers: 1 |
1 548 |
| The search result, usually found at the end of the documentation, forms the list of abstracts. AB = Abstract; AU = Author; DE = Term from the thesaurus; MM = Major Concept; TI = Title; TX = All Text. Performs a keyword search of all the database's searchable fields; ZC = Methodology Index; * = Truncation; “ “ = Citation Marks; searches for an exact phrase | ||
| Search terms | Items found | |
| Intervention: | ||
| 1. | (MH "Telemedicine+") | 11 037 |
| 2. | TX ”tele consultation” OR ”tele consultations” OR ”telephone consultation” OR ”telephone consultations” OR ”phone consultation” OR ”phone consultations” OR ”phone-based consultation” OR ”phone-based consultations” OR ”tele-based consultation” OR ”tele-based consultations” OR ”telephone-based consultation” OR ”telephone-based consultations” OR “telehealth” OR “tele counceling” OR “tele councelling” OR “telephone counceling” OR “telephone councelling” OR “phone counceling” OR “phone councelling” OR “phone-based counceling” OR “phone-based councelling” OR “telephone-based counceling” OR “telephone-based councelling” OR “tele-based counceling” OR “tele-based councelling” OR “remote counselling” OR “remote counseling” OR ”remote consultation” OR ”remote consultations” OR “distance consultation” OR “distance consultations” OR “distance counseling” OR “distance counselling” OR telenursing OR “telephone nursing” OR “phone-based nursing” OR ”tele-based nursing” OR ”telephone-based nursing” | 16 001 |
| 3. | 1 OR 2 | 23 949 |
| Outcome: | ||
| 4. | (MH "Patient Admission") OR (MH "Office Visits") | 20 330 |
| 5. | TX visit* OR access* OR use OR admission* OR seek* OR workload OR utili* OR impact* OR “care-seeker” OR “care-seekers” OR “care-seeking” OR "care seeker" OR "care seekers" OR "care seeking" OR health-seek* OR "health seeker" OR "health seekers" OR "health seeking" OR "patient behaviour" OR "patient behaviours" OR "patient behavior" OR "patient behaviors" OR "patient action" OR "patient actions" | 2 137 985 |
| 6. | 4 OR 5 | 2 137 985 |
| 7. | MH "Health Services+" | 885 886 |
| 8. | TX “healthcare” OR “health care” OR “health service” OR “health services” OR “health facility” OR “health facilities” | 1 290 529 |
| 9. | 7 OR 8 | 1 803 293 |
| Study types: | ||
| 10. | (MH "Systematic Review") OR (MH "Meta Analysis") | 90 247 |
| 11. | TX (systematic* AND review*) OR "meta-analysis" OR "meta analysis" | 295 622 |
| 12. | 10 OR 11 | 295 622 |
| 13. | (MH "Randomized Controlled Trials+") OR (MH "Random Sample+") OR (MH "Clinical Trials+") | 315 637 |
| 14. | TX random* OR randomized OR randomised | 484 274 |
| 15. | 13 OR 14 | 584 026 |
| 16. | (MH "Economics") OR (MH "Costs and Cost Analysis+") OR (MH "Economics, Pharmaceutical") | 113 688 |
| 17. | TX economic* OR cost OR costs OR costly OR costing OR price OR prices OR pricing OR pharmacoeconomic* OR "health economy" OR "health economics" OR "value for money" OR budget* OR (expenditure* NOT energy) | 466 778 |
| 18. | 16 OR 17 | 469 013 |
| Final sets: | ||
| 19. | 3 AND 6 AND 9 AND 12 (systematic reviews) | 2 119 |
| 20. | 3 AND 6 AND 9 AND 15 (clinical trials) | 2 600 |
| 21. | 3 AND 6 AND 9 AND 18 (health economics) | 5 944 |
Project group
Nathalie Peira, Laura Lintamo, Sara Fundell and Miriam Entesarian Matsson at SBU.
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