title: Design and performance of a multicentre, randomized controlled trial of teleconsulting.
abstract: We have designed and performed a multicentre, randomized controlled trial of teleconsulting. The trial investigated the effectiveness and cost implications in rural and inner-city settings of using videoconferencing as an alternative to general practitioner referral to a hospital specialist. The participating general practitioners referred a total of 3170 patients who satisfied the entry criteria. Of these, 1040 (33%) failed to provide consent or otherwise refused to participate in the trial. Of the patients recruited to the trial, a total of 1902 (91%) completed and returned the baseline questionnaire. Although the trial was successful in recruiting sufficient patients and in obtaining high questionnaire response rates, the findings will require careful interpretation to take account of the limits which the protocol placed on the ability of general practitioners to select patients for referral.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK. p.wallace@pcps.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacklin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wainwright
mesh_terms: D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods*; D019035:Rural Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019037:Urban Health Services