The impact of training and education programs for healthcare professionals on video- and text-based consultations in ensuring healthcare quality: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND

The rapid expansion of video- and text-based consultations has transformed healthcare delivery, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As virtual care becomes embedded in routine practice, healthcare professionals require appropriate training to deliver safe and effective digital healthcare.

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize evidence on training and education programs designed to prepare healthcare professionals for video- and text-based consultations and to examine reported outcomes, facilitators, and barriers.

METHODS

This review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and was reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR and PRISMA-S guidelines. Multiple bibliographic databases and grey literature sources were searched for studies published between January 1, 2003, and December 24, 2024. Eligible studies included those involving healthcare professionals receiving training in video consultations or text-based communication. Two reviewers independently conducted study selection and data extraction. Findings were synthesized descriptively.

RESULTS

Twenty studies were included. Training approaches varied considerably and included workshops, webinars, online modules, simulations, telehealth Objective Structured Clinical Examinations, and hybrid programs. Most studies reported improvements in confidence, perceived competence, and readiness to provide virtual care. However, outcomes were predominantly based on short-term self-reported measures, with limited evidence relating to long-term skill retention, patient outcomes, or organizational impact. Most included studies focused on video-based consultations, while evidence relating specifically to text-based consultation training was limited. Common challenges included virtual physical examinations, technological barriers, and maintaining patient engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth training programs are increasingly used to support healthcare professionals in delivering video- and text-based consultations. The available evidence is concentrated on learner-focused outcomes, whereas patient-level, organizational, and long-term outcomes remain underexplored. To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review to synthesize training approaches across both video- and text-based consultation modalities. Future research should prioritize longitudinal evaluation, patient and organizational outcomes, and modality-specific competency development to support sustainable digital healthcare delivery.