Banty Co-Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Richard Tytus, provided the subject matter and direction for this article.The author would like to thank Adam Grant for his editorial assistance in writing the article. Dr. Richard Tytus takes responsibility for the content of the article.
People have been visiting a physical doctor’s office for most of – if not all – of their lives. They have grown used to the routine and appreciate the opportunity for a private, one-on-one consultation regarding their health matters.
As a result, the comfort level has grown to a point where it can be challenging for healthcare practitioners to introduce certain patients to a virtual medicine environment.
However, if the COVID-19 global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that doctors need to have online meeting platforms at the ready just in case seeing patients in-person isn’t possible. What’s more, having such technology at a clinic’s fingertips will make it that much easier for it to meet the needs of patients who’d prefer video call visits when possible.
If you are a doctor and notice that some of your patients are hesitant about an online medicine appointment, share this information with them:
Talk to Patients About the Virtual Medicine Solution You Use
Perhaps the biggest key to getting a patient comfortable with the video conference service used by your clinic is to explain – the best you can – how it works. Don’t get too complicated or too techy here, as this will only lead to more hesitation from the patient.
Rather, speak about the awesome features it has, how easy it is to use, as well as how the telemedicine service you are working with keeps everyone’s information secure and private.
Next, provide patients with a link to the virtual medicine platform’s official website. This will allow them to do further research and get a better understanding about the new appointment option you are offering.
Explain the Benefits
Even after you take a patient through the ins and outs of your virtual medicine service provider, there’s no guarantee explaining the nuts and bolts will seal the deal.
Beyond knowing the features, you have to be willing and able to explain the online meeting platform’s benefits to a patient. You can tell them all about the screen sharing, enhanced security measures, and the simple scheduling system, but none of that will really matter to them until you explain the benefits of each.
Once a patient understands how their life will be positively impacted by the service you’re offering, chances are they’ll soon give video calls with you a try.
Stress Ease of Use
When rolling through the benefits, you have to focus mightily on just how easy a virtual medicine platform is for both your clinic, as well as the patient.
If you are telling a patient that a doctor’s appointment held through a video meeting service like Banty is easier than visiting a clinic, evidence needs to be provided. This may require giving the patient a quick tutorial on the features you think best exemplify how easy online appointments can be.
Where possible, request positive testimonials from current patients meeting with you virtually. Once they explain how easy such an appointment can be, perhaps that’ll help onboard more people.
Explain that the Personal Touch Still Exists
Individuals wary of new communication technology often argue that some of the tools we are using now make experiences far more impersonal.
Sure, not being in the same physical room as your doctor is different than what many are used to. That said, people can still have an engaging conversation, make eye contact, and share stories over a live video chat online. Most importantly, proper diagnoses can still be made here, and test results easily delivered.
If a patient knows these elements are not lost during a video call with their doctor, the doubts they have about communicating in such a way could subside.
Confirm Your Team Can Offer Assistance
Always tell patients new to virtual meetings that your support staff will be standing by to assist them if any issues come up as they log on for their appointment.
Explain that your team can lend a hand if there’s any trouble logging into the video chat app your clinic uses for patients, or if any other matter pops up.
Knowing such assistance is available will help improve a patient’s comfort level.
When your clinic has Banty, patients will be able to easily book a doctor’s appointment online and see you in a secure, yet engaging virtual office.
