Deciding to improve your medical clinic with the implementation of telemedicine services does not automatically mean the endeavour will be a success. In fact, it requires a team with certain winning attributes that’ll help ensure your practice’s venture into virtual medicine is a prosperous one.
Of course, it is still important to choose an easy, secure, and strong telehealth video conference option like Banty Virtual Clinic to visit with patients in a remote capacity. But, unless everyone from the doctors to the nurses, to the administrative staff, possess impactful traits like the ones we’re about to touch on, your online medicine mission could become more challenging than it should be.
Strong Communication
To be truly amazing at video calls with patients, everyone at the clinic needs to be exemplary communicators. This type of skill doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but can certainly be improved over time.
Often, your clinic will have patients not immediately comfortable with the telemedicine service being offered to them. However, if those at the clinic can effectively communicate with a patient from the moment they are introduced to your video chat app to the completion of their first appointment, the process will feel less intimidating than anticipated.
After a while, patients who have this positive experience will develop a continual interest in meeting with you virtually whenever possible.
Tech Savviness
To succeed at the communication level of telemedicine, you need to have a complete understanding of how the video call technology you are using works.
While a large part of communication with patients will be related to specific health matters, another element will be providing tech support when needed. For instance, if a patient can’t find the link needed to access their virtual medicine appointment, you need to be able to explain where it is, and what the next steps will be once a patient taps it.
Now, there will be more complicated tech-related queries that emerge from patients – likely too many to predict and list here. However, the better familiar a clinical team is with the ins and outs of the telehealth solution being used, the easier it’ll be to guide patients when they experience difficulties.
Willingness to Learn
Not everyone learns at the same pace, but when a telemedicine solution is brought into a clinic, those who work there need to embrace the educational process.
As noted earlier, learning the technological side of online medicine is key. But, so is learning the new processes, policies, and approaches that a medical practice must develop to best leverage their virtual medicine system.
Without a willingness to put in the time and learn about such significant elements of the clinic’s new way of doing business, some members of the team could serve as anchors to those putting in the time to improve.
Patience
Whether you are dealing with patients or coworkers at the clinic, having a high level of patience will serve you well.
For instance, if a patient doesn’t understand how to virtually book a doctor’s appointment online, or attend an online doctor’s appointment once it’s been booked, understand these questions come with the territory of telemedicine. Show patience and compassion, before walking someone through the process.
In terms of coworkers, if they, too, are struggling with the technology your clinic is now using, be calm and cool when showing them the ropes.
Confidence
During a live video chat online with patients, or a conversation with a teammate challenged by your telemedicine system, be confident.
Your confidence in the technology you are working with will help spell the concerns of those who haven’t quite gotten behind it yet. This may not be an overnight process, but if you maintain a confident and positive demeanor throughout, patients and coworkers will eventually adapt.
The belief you have in telehealth should eventually rub off on them.
If you are looking to bring a forward-thinking virtual medicine service to your clinic, tap here to learn more about Banty Virtual Clinic and all of its features.
