Online consultations have become part of everyday life after 2020: they save time, make it easier to contact a doctor, and help discuss test results more quickly. In procedural medicine, however, they have clear limitations — especially when a physical examination, tissue assessment, palpation, proctological examination, or a decision about a procedure is required.
In this article, we explain when an online consultation makes sense, when it may only be a preliminary conversation, and when it is better to book an in-person appointment straight away. If you are looking for a surgical consultation in Gdańsk, you can find details here: surgical consultation in Gdańsk.
Author: Piotr Rak, MD, PhD | Medical review: Dr Iwona Chruścicka | Publication date: 24.06.2026 | Last updated: 24.06.2026
Why have online consultations become so popular?
Just a few years ago, seeing a doctor was associated almost exclusively with visiting a clinic. After 2020, a lot changed: work, education, business meetings, and part of medical communication moved online. For patients, this means greater convenience — they can discuss results, ask about further treatment, or consult a simpler problem without travelling to the clinic.
In many situations, this is a very good solution. The patient does not have to spend time travelling, can contact a specialist quickly, and can find out whether an in-person visit is needed. For people living far from large cities, an online consultation is often the first practical step towards treatment.
But medicine is not just conversation. Sometimes the doctor needs to touch, look under proper lighting, assess tissue tension, wound odour, skin elasticity, tenderness, warmth, or the depth of an inflammatory pocket. Even the best camera will not show this — especially if the patient connects from the bathroom, under a yellow bulb, holding the phone in one hand.
“An online consultation can be very helpful, but it should not replace an examination where the examination is essential. In surgery, proctology, or intimate medicine, treatment decisions often depend on details that cannot be assessed reliably through a screen.”
— Piotr Rak, MD, PhD
What is an online consultation?
An online consultation is a remote meeting between a patient and a doctor — most often via video, phone, or a telemedicine system. During such a consultation, symptoms, test results, medical history, previous treatment, photos of skin lesions, or a further treatment plan can be discussed.
In practice, an online consultation works best as:
- a preliminary conversation before a visit or procedure,
- a discussion of test results,
- continuation of treatment when the doctor already knows the patient,
- qualification for further diagnostics,
- assessment of whether the problem requires an urgent in-person visit,
- an educational conversation before or after a procedure, if the patient’s condition is not concerning.
This distinction is important: an online consultation may be very valuable, but it is not always a full substitute for a medical examination.
When does an online consultation make sense?
There are situations in which an online conversation is practical and sufficient at a given stage of treatment. Most often, this applies to matters where the doctor mainly relies on medical history, documentation, test results, or previous knowledge of the patient.
Discussing test results
If the patient already has test results, an online consultation may be used to discuss them calmly. This may apply to laboratory results, hormonal tests, some imaging reports, or documentation after a previous procedure.
A good example may be discussing documentation after procedures such as core needle breast biopsy, when the patient needs an explanation of the result, next steps, and a treatment plan. Of course, whether an online conversation is enough depends on the clinical situation.
Continuation of andrological or hormonal treatment
In andrology, some consultations may take place remotely, especially when discussing results, continuing the diagnostic process, or monitoring treatment. In such situations, an andrology consultation may be helpful, especially if the patient has current test results prepared.
Jakub Krukowski, MD, PhD may, in selected situations, use an online format to discuss results, plan further testing, or monitor the treatment process. This does not mean, however, that every andrological situation is suitable for teleconsultation.
Preliminary assessment of some lesions visible in photos
In selected cases, photos may help the doctor make a preliminary assessment. This may apply to superficial and characteristic lesions, such as pearly penile papules. An initial photo assessment may help decide whether the patient should come in for a procedure, such as laser removal of pearly penile papules.
However, it is important to remember: a photo does not always show the colour, structure, depth, and context of a lesion accurately. If the doctor has any doubts, an in-person visit is safer.
Online consultation — when can it be a good choice?
| Situation | Does online make sense? | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Discussing test results | often yes | especially when the doctor does not need to perform a physical examination |
| Monitoring hormonal or andrological treatment | in selected cases | if the patient has current results and the doctor knows the context |
| Preliminary conversation before a procedure | yes, as a first stage | it does not always replace in-person qualification |
| Pain, lump, wound, swelling, or discharge | usually no | an in-person examination is often needed |
| Intimate and proctological procedures | usually not as full qualification | they require tissue assessment and a physical examination |
Limitations of online consultations — what can’t a screen show?
A camera can show a face, a fragment of skin, or a test result, but it cannot replace a full medical examination. In procedural medicine, details matter greatly: the consistency of a lump, mobility of a lesion, tenderness, skin temperature, wound odour, the depth of an inflammatory pocket, tissue tension, or the precise location of symptoms.
It may not sound romantic, but medicine is very practical. An experienced surgeon may sometimes know from the appearance, touch, warmth, or even smell of a wound that healing is not progressing properly. This cannot be assessed through a screen. Pixels are great for video meetings, but they are much less useful when it comes to an abscess.
The limitations of online consultations are particularly important in cases of:
- wounds after procedures,
- suspected infection,
- lumps and subcutaneous lesions,
- skin lesions requiring palpation,
- rectal bleeding,
- pain around the anus,
- qualification for intimate procedures,
- assessment of healing after surgery if the patient reports concerning symptoms.
“The doctor–patient relationship is built most fully in person. Eye contact, a calm conversation, the ability to examine the patient, and creating a sense of safety are important. A screen can help, but it cannot replace direct contact.”
— Dr Iwona Chruścicka
Online consultations and surgery — when is it better to come to the clinic?
In surgery, a physical examination is very often necessary. This applies both to qualification for a procedure and postoperative follow-up. The surgeon must assess not only what is visible, but also what can be felt under the fingers: depth, mobility, tenderness, tension, borders of the lesion, and the condition of surrounding tissues.
An in-person visit is especially recommended for:
- skin and subcutaneous lesions,
- lipomas, epidermoid cysts, and lumps,
- wounds after procedures,
- suspected abscess,
- redness, pain, fever, or discharge from a wound,
- qualification for lesion excision,
- decisions about histopathological examination.
An example of a situation where an in-person consultation is very important is removal of skin lesions with histopathological examination. A photo may help with preliminary orientation, but it does not replace examining the lesion in good light and deciding whether it requires removal and histopathology.
Online consultations and intimate procedures
In intimate procedures, an online consultation is often particularly limited. The patient may feel embarrassed, the image is often inaccurate, and the doctor cannot assess tissues, scars, skin elasticity, tension, or tenderness. Therefore, in many cases, online may only be a preliminary conversation, not full qualification.
This applies, among others, to procedures such as:
- labiaplasty,
- circumcision,
- preputioplasty,
- aesthetic urology procedures,
- aesthetic gynaecology procedures,
- wound checks after intimate procedures.
In such situations, an online conversation may help explain general principles, preparation, contraindications, and treatment course, but a procedural decision very often requires an in-person examination.
Online consultations and proctology — why is it usually not enough?
Proctology is one of those fields where online consultation has very limited use. Symptoms such as rectal bleeding, pain, a lump, itching, discharge, a feeling of pressure, or suspected haemorrhoids may have many different causes. Without examination, it is difficult to safely distinguish them.
The patient may say, “it is probably haemorrhoids”, but the doctor must also rule out other causes — anal fissure, abscess, fistula, thrombosed external haemorrhoid, inflammatory lesions, polyps, or other conditions requiring diagnostics. This requires an examination, and sometimes anoscopy.
That is why, in the case of proctological symptoms, it is best to plan an in-person visit, such as a proctology consultation in Gdańsk. Zoom may be good for team meetings, but for assessing anal pain — to put it gently — it is not the first-choice tool.
Post-procedure follow-up — online or in person?
It depends on how healing is progressing. If the patient feels well, has no pain, fever, discharge, increasing redness, or other concerning symptoms, the doctor may sometimes agree to discuss the situation remotely. This especially applies to patients who have already been examined at the clinic.
An in-person visit is needed, however, if any of the following occur:
- increasing pain,
- fever,
- purulent or unpleasant-smelling discharge,
- bleeding,
- large swelling,
- wound separation,
- severe skin redness,
- doubts about whether the wound is healing properly.
With wound checks, the rule is simple: if something worries the patient or the doctor, it is better to see the wound in person. Safety is more important than convenience.
Doctor–patient relationship — what can’t a screen replace?
Medicine is not only diagnosis and procedure. It is also trust, conversation, emotions, and a sense of safety. This is especially true in difficult situations: suspected cancer, decisions about surgery, intimate problems, pain, shame, anxiety, and communicating difficult information.
An in-person meeting offers something a screen cannot: presence. The doctor can see the patient’s reaction, pause, ask more questions, reassure, shake hands, and sometimes simply be there. In medicine, this really matters.
Online is a tool. A good, convenient, and often helpful one. But a tool should not replace the relationship where that relationship is part of care.
Online or in-person consultation — a quick guide
| You want to discuss test results | online may be enough |
| You have a lump, wound, swelling, or discharge | an in-person visit is better |
| You need qualification for an intimate procedure | an in-person examination is usually needed |
| You have proctological symptoms | an in-person visit is safer |
| You are continuing known treatment | online may be a good solution |
| You do not know which form to choose | contact reception — we will help choose the right path |
Frequently asked questions
Can an online consultation replace a visit to a surgeon?
Sometimes it can help discuss results or plan treatment initially, but it does not always replace a physical examination. With lumps, wounds, skin lesions, pain, or qualification for a procedure, an in-person visit is usually needed.
Can a proctologist consult a patient online?
In most cases, proctological symptoms require an in-person examination. Bleeding, pain, a lump, itching, or discharge may have different causes, so without examination it is difficult to make a safe diagnosis.
Can test results be discussed online?
Yes, this is one of the situations where online consultation often works well. The doctor can explain the result, plan further management, and indicate whether an in-person visit is needed.
Is an online consultation suitable for intimate procedures?
Most often, only as a preliminary conversation. Full qualification for intimate procedures usually requires examination, assessment of tissues, anatomy, and possible contraindications.
When is an in-person follow-up needed after a procedure?
It is worth coming in person if there is increasing pain, fever, purulent discharge, bleeding, wound separation, significant swelling, or doubts about healing. In such situations, a photo or camera may not be enough.
Not sure whether to choose online or in-person consultation?
In procedural medicine, safety is more important than convenience. If the problem requires an examination, we will suggest an in-person visit.
See surgical consultation →Summary
Online consultations are convenient and very helpful in many situations. They work well for discussing results, continuing treatment, preliminary planning, and selected andrological or follow-up issues.
However, they are not the ideal solution for every medical field. Surgery, proctology, intimate procedures, wounds, lumps, abscesses, and procedural qualification very often require an in-person meeting. A screen can make contact easier, but it cannot replace examination, the experience of a doctor’s hands, and the relationship with the patient.
The safest approach is simple: online when conversation and documentation are enough; in person when the patient needs to be examined. And if you are not sure — it is better to ask first and choose the form that truly matches your problem.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace a medical consultation. Whether an online consultation is possible or an in-person visit is necessary is decided by the doctor or medical staff after reviewing the patient’s problem.