Use of digital tools to communicate with GPs pre- and post-COVID-19 in Italy 2020

During the COVID-19 emergency in Italy many patients in need of care and consulting could not access health services the way they used to in the past. For this reason, digital communication channels have become central in the interaction between patients and doctors, in particular general practitioners. According to a survey conducted in June 2020 among Italians, only 19 percent of respondents reported that they used emails to communicate with their GP before the COVID-19 emergency, while 20 percent of respondents said they did not, but were interested in this option for the future. On the other hand, only one percent of respondents said that they used communications platforms such as Skype to interact with their GP. In this case, 23 percent declared their interest for future use.