How do online doctor consultations compare to in-person ones?

Consulting doctors online offers convenience and accessibility for patients, and the prospect of much needed cost savings. Amanda Dahlstrand, Nestor Le Nestour and Guy Michaels studied the impacts of switching consultations from in person to online. They write that online consultations are more likely to be followed up in person (which reduces their cost savings for providers and patients), but don’t result in adverse medium-term effects on patients.