Essential competencies for an effective physician-to-physician teleconsultation

The increasing use of teleconsultation deserves attention to highlight the required competencies in planning training and assessment activities. This study aimed to determine the competencies of specialist physicians involved in teleconsultation. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted through the Delphi method. First, a literature review, interviews, and expert panel discussions were conducted. The areas of competence and competencies required for a specialist physician involved in teleconsultation were extracted. The list of competencies was designed as an electronic questionnaire in two Delphi rounds. Fifty-five specialists involved in teleconsultation were asked to determine the degree of necessity of the competencies. Finally, a second round of Delphi was conducted for the competencies with less than 70% agreement. Sixty-nine competencies were identified. In the first round of the Delphi, 63 competencies were accepted, for a quota of 70%, and 6 were transferred to the second round of the Delphi. At this round, 3 competencies were removed, and 66 competencies were accepted. The main competency domains were extracted as follows: “receiving and presenting data”, “professional ethics”, “awareness and management of emotions”, “communication skills”, “diagnosis and patient management”, “collaborative decision-making”, and “teleconsultation and use of technology”. The competencies identified in this study could provide a framework for developing targeted training programs and professional standards in teleconsultation. By integrating these competencies into medical education, healthcare systems can promote the quality and effectiveness of teleconsultations, as such, improving equitable access to health services.