For both physicians and patients alike, telehealth visits are an amazing way to continue to provide top-notch patient care during a time where meeting in person can be a huge challenge. With the continued presence of Covid-19 across the country, telehealth services provide a crucial added layer of accessibility and help reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission for both doctors and patients.
If you’re a healthcare worker and telehealth appointments are still relatively new for you, well you are not alone! Many people around the world are learning to navigate these new systems, and we’ve compiled some helpful tips for you to consider when you’re conducting your virtual appointments.
1. Prepare Your Tech
Before hopping on your first call, make sure you go through a test run and ensure that all of your equipment is performing correctly. It’s best to use a high-quality webcam so that you’re able to see your patient and any visual symptoms clearly. Additionally, make sure you have a set of headphones with a good built-in microphone. Do not rely on your external computer sound alone as it will be much more likely to pick up background sounds and provide challenges for hearing. Make sure you also have a fast internet connection and be ready to tether your computer to your phone’s data plan in case your Wi-Fi goes awry.
2. Set Up Your Environment
Make sure you’re in a quiet area with as little background noise as possible. Check your lighting and test it out on video to ensure you’re highly visible, and also that there is no glare for you on your screen. A comfortable chair and workspace are also crucial for the time you’ll be spending behind the computer.
3. Check the Paperwork
Get in touch with your staff beforehand and check-in to see whether there are any issues you
should be aware of which might provide challenges for this person’s virtual appointment (i.e. trouble with software downloads or unreliable internet access). Confirm that all the necessary paperwork has been filled out beforehand and familiarize yourself with your patient’s case.
4. Stay Engaged
Connecting virtually with anyone can be a challenge due to the loss of face-to-face contact and body language. Make sure you’re doing your best to stay present and expressive during the appointment. This will provide an additional level of comfort for your patient and help ease some of the disconnection that the telehealth visit might bring about.
5. Explain Next Steps
At the end of the appointment, have a detailed conversation about the next steps with consideration to both your and your patient’s comfort levels. If you think an in-person visit might be important, talk through the necessities. If you’re comfortable with continued telehealth visits, make sure you broach the topic while you’re still on the call so your patient can start thinking through their options.
At Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena, we are experienced practitioners when it comes to telehealth visits. We offer a variety of consultation services through our virtual doctor’s appointments, and we are happy to walk you through this process. Contact Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena today for more info!
