Role and Challenges of Online Health Consultations: a Consumer Perspective

Online health consultations may help consumers obtain appropriate information more conveniently and quickly; however, the actual usage patterns in Japan remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the current situation of online consultations from a consumer perspective. In March 2021, we conducted two internet-based surveys: a screening survey and a main survey. The main survey examined whether the participants regularly visited a hospital or clinic (“regular visits” group vs “no regular visits” group), the specialization consulted, and topics discussed during the consultations. In the screening survey (response rate: 23％), 4.6％ (723/15,806) of respondents reported taking online consultations. Two hundred fifty-two of these cases were included in the main survey. Notably, 17.5％ (44/252) of the respondents consulted non-medical professionals. The “regular visits” group (n = 67) sought advice on topics such as “psychiatric symptoms,” “autoimmune diseases,” “treatment-related questions,” and “medication usage.” In contrast, the “no regular visits” group (n = 185) primarily consulted regarding “cold symptoms,” “pediatric diseases,” “general health knowledge,” and “the necessity of medical exams.” The most common outcome of these consultations was a general recommendation to seek an in-person medical examination, which was provided to 28.1％ (74/252) of the participants. This study suggests that a wide range of consumers use online health consultations to address various health concerns. However, some issues, particularly those requiring reference to the medical or medication histories of individuals with regular hospital visits, cannot be adequately resolved through online consultations alone. Our findings highlight the importance of online consultations in encouraging face-to-face consultations with healthcare providers when necessary.