To be a great doctor requires checking off a number of boxes, not the least of which is building a strong rapport and level of trust with all patients. Doing so helps patients feel more comfortable about medical opinions being offered, as well as subsequent treatment recommendations.
As it relates to telemedicine, such rapport and trust can help doctors encourage more patients to try participating in virtual appointments. According to Medical Economics, 75% of patients would "happily" use a telemedicine solution if able to see a doctor they already have a relationship with.
Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founder and Medical Director of telemedicine solution Banty Inc., has been practicing medicine for decades now, developing quality patient-doctor relationships along the way. He believes that such relationships can help motivate more patients to use virtual medicine services, because:
Reputation matters: If a doctor's reputation in the eye of a specific patient – or the community in which they practice – is esteemed, then there will be a certain weight attached when care options are suggested. A doctor who is thought highly of by those they treat should have an easy time convincing patients that specific appointment types can be held virtually, as opposed to in-person
Familiarity is important: Of course, a plentiful patient-doctor relationship has a lot to do with familiarity gained throughout years of conversing with one another. When a patient logs on for a video call with a doctor for the first time, they want to see a friendly, recognizable face on the screen. This will allow the appointment to flow as naturally as previous ones, just in a different environment
Patients will feel more comfortable: Even after a patient agrees to a video call with their doctor, they may have difficulty initially understanding the technical side of telemedicine. By being comfortable with a specific medical professional, a patient will feel less stressed if an online hiccup results in them showing up a few minutes late to an appointment, or not immediately knowing how to navigate the virtual environment
The same quality will be delivered: Patients can switch doctors whenever they like. However, if a patient is satisfied by the quality of care being provided to them by a doctor, they will stick around. Over time, patients will learn that such quality care will not be impacted negatively by telemedicine services. In fact, the care level should be considered an improvement, as online appointments provide great levels of convenience and the ability to avoid crowded in-person waiting rooms
"If you have an excellent relationship with a patient, you should be able to get them excited about telemedicine services, and why they should be used whenever possible," adds Dr. Tytus. "Patients who've trusted their doctor's opinios for years, will trust that a virtual visit recommendation is coming from the right place."
Thanks to Mobility Techzone for this coverage of Banty!
