What Should Be Done To make Patients love Telecare?

While some patients appreciate the comfort of virtual medicine, for many people, the lack of direct contact with a doctor significantly lowers the value of telehealth appointments. Research shows that up to 80% of all cases in primary health care do not require a personal visit to a doctor’s office. While virtual care services are becoming a standard, how can we encourage patients to choose them in the first place?

On the one hand, telecare is con�enient because one does not ha�e to dri�e to a medical facility and wait in line. On the other, many people belie�e that it is not the same as the time spent in a doctor’s office. After all, a traditional doctor’s appointment has always been based on personal contact, regardless of whether it is necessary to examine the patient. �any people who use telehealth ser�ices worry that the quality of the diagnosis or treatment will be lower. If they ha�e to talk to an unknown doctor, which often happens in telemedicine, the feeling of discomfort is e�en stronger: the patient again must tell a stranger doctor about personal health problems.

Microphone, camera, light, doctor’s visit �he patient is �isible in two dimensions on the computer screen and heard through a speaker. �he doctor has to rely on information pro�ided by the patient and the declared symptoms. �herefore, smooth communication determines the proper diagnosis and treatment. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has become the dominant form of pro�iding medical ser�ices. �any instructions and guidelines regarding telemedicine standards ha�e been published. �hey raise the importance of the appropriate technical infrastructure (camera, microphone, Internet connection) and ambient conditions (lighting, background, clothing). �he first telehealth appointment requires a different approach than later when a patient already knows how the system works. �he doctor should also foresee potential technical problems and react to them, so they don’t dominate the interaction with the patient. E�en the smallest details can matter: �ocal intonation, facial expression, small mo�es—these are the only signals that the patient can recei�e. For example, when a doctor takes notes on their computer during an on-site �isit, the patient participates in this process to a certain degree simply by being in the same room. ��hen it comes to telehealth appointments, this situation may be uncomfortable. �hese are the basic guidelines, all of which can easily be found online.

Formalities, responsibilities and a relaxed atmosphere �elecare ser�ices pro�iders ha�e also adapted their platforms to make the patient experience similar to a traditional appointment. ��hen the patients log in on the telehealth platform, they are taken to a �irtual waiting room. In this way, they ha�e some time to prepare themsel�es, finish other tasks, and focus solely on the con�ersation with the doctor. �any elements which are ob�ious during a faceto-face con�ersation may not be that clear during a �ideo call. �he patient should confirm that they ha�e understood the diagnosis and recommendations. �he doctor should ask additional questions to make sure that all the information has been interpreted as intended. Apart from all these formalities— which include explaining to the patient how to use the system, informing them about the a�ailable ser�ices and medical data safety, opportunities and limitations, pro�iding technical instructions—the doctor should also ensure that the communication is seamless and the message is empathic. �his can depend on technical aptitude, reasonable organization procedures, and communication skills. After all, the time spent in a �irtual waiting room is twice as irritating as in a real one.

telecare is more than an on-site visit transferred to the virtual conditions Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine is not only used more often, but it is also maturing quickly. �ew standards for the digital patient experience are being de�eloped. �he goal is not to create an ideal �irtual copy of the appointments in a doctor’s office but to build an entirely new healthcare system in which contact with the doctor is just one of the interconnected elements of care. As health platforms continue to de�elop and telehealth de�ices gain in popularity – especially among chronically ill patients – the role of pre�enti�e ser�ices is also growing. �easuring and analyzing health parameters makes it possible to check the health condition in real-time and react to the first de�iations in �ital signs. In a system where the doctor’s appointments are reser�ed for patients who require more attention, we need systems that analyze the patients’ data and ad�ise them on chronic illnesses and pre�enti�e medicine. An essential role in the “healthcare hybrid model” plays nurses—the first contact points for patients. Broader use of the nurses’ skills makes it possible to restore the human factor in modern and empathic health care.

»The telemedicine that patients experience nowadays is a traditional medicine wrapped in a virtual package.«

First examples of the new healthcare model are there In the current health care model, the capabilities of telemedicine are limited. �owe�er, when it is included in the patient’s new path and supported by health telemonitoring technologies, it will become a pillar of a more flexible and personalized healthcare system. �he first start-ups, such as Forward from the USA, ha�e already begun implementing this new approach. �odern clinics run by Forward focus on pre�ention, regular health checks, and achie�ing the patient’s long-term goals rather than treatment. It is a harbinger of the kind of changes for which patients ha�e been waiting a long time, and they don’t get it from present healthcare pro�iders. �he telemedicine that patients experience nowadays is a traditional medicine wrapped in a �irtual package. �he COVID-19 pandemic encourages us to redesign healthcare systems and go for a hybrid model, making the best use of the medical workers’ skills automating procedures where�er possible. 