This article builds on Doctorcall’s comments for the ITIJ Hospitals and Healthcare Review feature on virtual consultations and hybrid care.
Getting sick when you travel is a logistics problem as much as a clinical one. Visitors often need a clinician quickly, a clear plan, and treatment they can access locally, without losing time to unfamiliar systems.
In the UK, that is why hybrid care has become standard, video consultations for rapid access and triage, with in-person GP visits when a hands-on assessment, tests, or treatment are required.
Doctorcall is built around this model.
Patients can speak to a UK GP by video, receive electronic prescriptions that can be collected through UK pharmacy networks, and access language support through bilingual GPs and on-demand interpreting. If an examination is needed, the case can be escalated from video to a home visit within the same clinical record, so care continues smoothly without restarting the process.
What Changed Since The Pandemic
During COVID, video consultations moved from useful to essential. What is notable is that the change did not snap back afterwards.
At Doctorcall, internal activity data show video appointments grew by about 260% in the first COVID year compared with the year before. A few years later, video volumes were roughly 1,300% above the pre-pandemic baseline. Video’s share of overall patient interactions rose from about 3% to around 35%, and it has stayed in that range.
That matters because it signals a lasting shift in how people expect to access care. In-person medicine is still a major part of delivery. What has settled is a durable hybrid. Video for speed, access, and continuity. Face-to-face care for examination, investigations, and clinical reassurance.
Why This Matters More In Travel And Cross-Border Care
Travel health needs favour the hybrid model. People want rapid access to a clinician who can assess risk, give a clear plan, and start treatment quickly. They also need practical delivery, such as a prescription they can actually collect locally, language support, and an easy route to escalation if symptoms require an examination.
Doctorcall’s internal revenue mix reflects this shift. Travel-related activity now represents a larger share of revenue than before COVID, rising from about 17% to around 25–26%. For many partners, that growth is linked to a more practical service model, not just higher demand.
How The Hybrid Model Works In Practice At Doctorcall
Why Regulation And Governance Matter In The UK
For care delivered in England, quality and accountability start with governance. For patients and partners, it is important to work with providers that operate within the UK regulatory framework, use UK-registered clinicians, and have clear indemnity arrangements. In practical terms, CQC-regulated providers bring clinical governance and oversight that support consistent standards and safe escalation.
When Video Is Enough, And When It Is Not
A video consultation can be a strong first step for many travel-related concerns, especially early assessment, triage, and follow-up.
In-person care is often needed when
- Symptoms suggest a physical examination is required
- Tests are needed to confirm diagnosis
- Treatment depends on clinical findings that cannot be assessed remotely
- The patient needs reassurance through a hands-on review
The most reliable model does not force everything into video or everything into face-to-face care. It makes the right step easy at the right time.
What Insurers And Assistance Providers Should Expect From A Modern Service
The best outcomes in 2026 and beyond come from services that combine strong clinical governance with seamless escalation to in-person care.
Key expectations include
- Conversion from video to home visit within the same system and clinical record
- No duplicate charging when escalation is clinically required, with clear rebate rules
- Electronic prescribing that can be dispensed across UK pharmacy networks
- Language access through bilingual clinicians and on-demand interpreting
- Clear coverage statements on where same-day or next-day in-person care is available
- Reporting that is simple, comparable, and based on operational performance
Useful reporting measures include
- Share of activity delivered by video
- Video-to-home-visit conversion rate
- Time to clinician, median and 90th percentile
- Electronic prescription fulfilment
- First-contact resolution
- Interpreter use and timings for non-English cases
- Patient-reported experience
Payment models work best when they support safe first-contact resolution and remove barriers to escalation when a physical review is needed.
What This Looks Like At Doctorcall
Doctorcall’s internal data show a stable hybrid has formed. Video now accounts for roughly 33–36% of overall activity. Travel-related work represents about 25–26% of revenue, up from around 17% before COVID.
Operationally, the model is designed to keep care moving
- Patients can reach a UK GP quickly
- Prescriptions can be issued electronically and collected through UK pharmacy networks
- Language support is available through bilingual GPs and on-demand interpreting
- Travellers can contact the service through WhatsApp messaging
- Cases can move from video to a home visit within the same clinical record
- The video fee is rebated when escalation to a home visit is clinically needed
The Bottom Line
Modern travel healthcare in the UK works best when it is fast, connected, and able to escalate without delay. Video consultations provide rapid access and continuity. In-person visits provide examination and treatment when needed. The strongest services bring both into one clinical pathway, within the UK regulatory and pharmacy framework, supported by clear performance reporting.