Problem solved: How do I get patients to take virtual appointments as seriously as in-person appointments?

Two-way street The convenience of virtual appointments means that leveraging them for better care requires clearer expectations than we had when it was seen as a stopgap instead of the dominant mode of ambulatory care. Send reminders, consider sending symptom scores before the appointment via a secure platform to help expedite the visit and get patients in the right frame of mind. Patients may miss appointments for a variety of reasons. In-person appointments don’t necessarily start on time, but there is pressure not to make patients sit in the waiting room too long. Virtual appointments can take some of that pressure off providers, since patients can fit a visit in while doing something else. Introducing more flexibility in patient care is a two-way street. –Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya Send policy note Send a brief note, such as the one below, with the appointment reminder or video invitation link, and discuss the policy with new patients or those who need a reminder: “Virtual appointments are intended to simulate actual appointments as much as possible. Please find a quiet and private place to meet with your physician at your appointment time, sitting up, with water handy, and paper and pen. It is difficult to provide proper care if you are in your vehicle, shopping, or lying in bed (unless due to illness). Please treat your virtual appointment as a real appointment, because it is.” –Dr. Elisabeth Gold Outline and enforce rules Make a video of a sample appointment with a mock patient to show your patients what a typical virtual appointment could be like. Be up front about what type of problems are appropriate for virtual care and what should be addressed in person. Charge a fee for missed virtual appointments, and after multiple no-shows, block patients from using virtual services for a period of time. Emphasize to patients that a quiet environment makes for a better appointment, and let them know that appointments are limited, so when their time is up, they are unable to extend their visit. –Dr. Ryan Chuang Encourage active patient engagement I have been involved in providing virtual care for almost 10 years and I enjoy providing such care. Many physicians prefer providing in-person care where patients are waiting in the office to be seen, and do not like the frustration of having to “chase” patients. I believe that virtual care is likely to be increasingly welcomed by patients as they acquire more knowledge about the technology and as the technology improves. Patients using virtual care seem less hesitant in asking for further testing and referrals. Somehow it reflects a more active engagement on their part in the management of their healthcare. I believe that virtual care actually promotes patient-centered care and that as the technology in this field improves, more patients will want their physicians to serve them on their terms. I welcome this change! –Dr. Mahmuda Khan

Problem solved: How do I get patients to take virtual appointments as seriously as in-person appointments?

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics