The global Telehealth & Telemedicine Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 26.6% during the forecast period, USD 87.8 billion in 2022, and to reach USD 285.7 billion by 2027, according to the market research firm MarketsandMarkets. That’s a lot of business! But only some companies in the field will succeed. In fact, there are so many ways an organization can fail with telemedicine services.
According to research, a positive doctor-patient relationship during care can be enhanced through high-quality communication between patient and physician, which improves treatment adherence, reduces diagnosis delays, and builds trust.
A patient’s primary concern when visiting the ER is often their pain or fear. Telemedicine technology can heighten this fear. Despite an increased familiarity with virtual video conferencing and communication, it is not widely used in emergency care. However, as telemedicine becomes more prevalent, there are many ways that healthcare professionals are providing a high-quality website experience. As a result of their increased expertise in providing a great website service, Tele-hospitalists are now capable of delivering on-site care as effectively as they do over the internet. Here is what they do to ensure an excellent website experience.
Set Expectations.
When patients seek medical help, they expect to “SEE” the doctor. The best telemedicine providers recognize this right up front and work to build rapport and empathy early. By spending time explaining the telemedicine process and how they are working closely with the attending on-staff clinicians for seamless care delivery, great Tele-hospitalists can quickly build patient confidence.
Show Presence.
One advantage telemedicine physicians have over on-site physicians is that they can be 100% present during the patient visit. They are not distracted by the surrounding patients’ needs or being pulled into multiple places at once as on-site hospitalists often are. Great Tele-hospitalists will use this ability to fully engage during the patient visit to build an exceptional connection with empathy and compassion.
Use Clear Language.
Communication using technology requires extra attention to word choices, communication pace, and articulation. Great telemedicine providers are skilled at keeping language and word choices clear and positive when communicating with patients. They also know that slowing down and leaving room for questions is important. In addition, using bite-sized phrases and descriptive terminology will help communicate complex medical terms clearly so that the patient can properly understand instructions and diagnoses. Finally, providers that have a sense of humor that’s polite and appropriate can lighten the mood in stressful situations and connect better with patients and families.
Manage Body Language.
Unlike delivering care in person, the patient’s exposure to their telemedicine physician is limited to their facial presence. It makes body language more important than ever. Great Tele-hospitalists are skilled at communicating with facial expressions that show their attention and understanding. They work hard to avoid looking distracted or admonishing and refrain from other unnerving body language, such as fidgeting or slouching.
Keep Eye Contact.
In addition to body language, eye contact is vital. Directly connecting with the patient with eye contact shows the provider is interested, actively listening, and respecting what the patient and attending family members have to say. It takes practice to look directly at the patient using telemedicine technology so that the provider doesn’t appear to be looking off-screen or awkwardly at the camera lens. Great Telemedicine providers have perfected eye contact so that patients feel the screen disappear into the background like the physician is in the room with them.
The emphasis on a professional website experience in virtual healthcare is just as rigorous as the bedside manner—even more so. The provider-patient relationship must evolve to ensure that telemedicine continues to thrive in a virtual environment. Tele-hospitalists will demonstrate that telemedicine can deliver patient outcomes equal to those generated by on-site care delivery models by improving communication and enhancing patient engagement through virtual technology.
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