In recent years, telemedicine has become an invaluable tool for providing health care to millions of patients worldwide. Its popularity is rapidly increasing, leading many healthcare providers to face issues such as video fatigue and burnout. However, there are several strategies that healthcare practitioners can employ to enhance their telemedicine practices.
One effective strategy is to prepare patients before their virtual health appointments. Since telemedicine is a relatively new approach to medical care, many patients may feel confused when using the technology. This confusion can affect the productivity of virtual health sessions. To ensure a seamless telehealth session, healthcare professionals can take time in advance to familiarize patients with everything they need to know about the appointment. This can include sending consent forms and written instructions on how to use the telemedicine platform, and what to expect during the session. Doing this can help alleviate patients' anxiety and guarantee a smooth virtual health experience.
Another effective way to improve telehealth practice is to create the right virtual health setup. This includes acquiring the appropriate video conferencing equipment, ensuring proper lighting in the room, choosing a professional background, eliminating distractions, and dressing professionally. Having these virtual setups in place helps improve the telehealth experience, minimize communication glitches, and boost patients' confidence in the practice.
Furthermore, healthcare professionals in telehealth should strive to demonstrate empathy in the virtual health setting, just as they would with in-person appointments. Common ways to show empathy include asking patients how they feel about the telehealth appointment, recognizing emotional cues such as uncertainty or frustration, expressing genuine concern, and nodding to the camera to show understanding as patients speak. These practices significantly enhance the telemedicine experience for both healthcare professionals and patients.
