Economic and Ecological Value Analysis of Video Consultations from the Perspectives of Physicians and Patients

Luo Renjie; Guo Lining; Huang Caina; Zhang Yan

Abstract：Objective To explore the economic impact and ecological value of video consultations on hospitals and patients,providing a reference for the development of video consultation services.Methods A total of 345 patients and 31 physicians who participated in video consultation practices in 2024 were surveyed using questionnaires and in-terviews.The economic impacts,social benefits,and potential risks and challenges of video consultations for hospi-tals and patients were analyzed.Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare the differences in video consultation evaluations between patients and physicians.Results During the experimental period,video consulta-tions resulted in a minimum revenue loss of 18 375 yuan for various hospital departments.However,each patient saved no less than 1 000 yuan in transportation,accommodation,and wage loss expenses.Patients' overall satis-faction and timeliness ratings were significantly higher than those of physicians(P＜0.05),while patients' willing-ness to continue using video consultations was significantly lower than that of physicians(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between patients and physicians in terms of perceived effectiveness(P＞0.05).Conclusion Video consultations effectively reduce patients' economic burden and improve the accessibility of health-care services.The revenue loss for hospitals stems primarily from low service efficiency and the shift of income from pharmaceuticals and diagnostic services.Disease types play a critical role in influencing consultation efficiency and economic outcomes.It is recommended to introduce intelligent triage systems,establish an integrated online and of-fline service model,enhance patient operational experience,and improve regulatory mechanisms to promote the high-quality development of video consultations.