Telehealth and access to acute primary care in Europe: Balancing opportunity and equity

Telehealth is rapidly taking a central position in acute unscheduled primary care services, reshaping citizenpatient access, clinical workflows, and professional roles. This position paper, based on a keynote at the 100th EGPRN Conference (Telehealth: Its Benefits, Quality, and Safety, Gothenburg 2025), explores how digital modalities affect access to acute primary care, considers current knowledge, and reflects on opportunities and implications for equity. Access in acute primary care involves balancing citizens’ help-seeking behavior and use of care with prioritization to match needs. Telehealth is widely used, for example, in telephone consultations and triage, self-triage tools, and chatbot services, as digitalization offers potential for improved access, efficiency, and flexibility. However, it raises concerns regarding equity because of , due to varying digital literacy, and regarding quality, because ofdue to rapid implementation without adequate evaluation. Sustainable telehealth integration requires systematic evaluation, co-creation, and policy frameworks that ensure equitable access, mitigate digital divides, and support healthcare professionals’ well-being.