6 common mistakes you can avoid on a telehealth consult

MISTAKE 1

The patient is confused because the practitioner has not arrived, and the Telehealth appointment started 10 minutes ago

SOLUTION: Don't be late.

• Keeps patients at ease 
• Prevents calls to the practice confirming start time of appointment
• Patient expectations of wait times are different on Telehealth calls vs. in physical waiting rooms.

MyHealth1st recommendation: Do your best to try and start that Telehealth consultation, at least within five minutes of the start of the appointment time. Remember, the consultation is available, just before the start of the consultation and that gives you the opportunity to go in and test your audio, your speakers and your camera so that you're ready to start on time.

MISTAKE 2

The patient can hear children screaming in the background and potentially say somebody walk behind you in the background.

SOLUTION: Preparing your surroundings.

• Create a quiet zone away from any interruptions.
• Make sure that the room that you're in has adequate lighting so that patients can see you. Because remember, you've got the video on.
• Dress and appearance. As you'll have the video on, dressing professionally, being well groomed and sets the tone for the session.
• Keep your background in check. Keep natural and avoid people popping into the screen behind you. If you are consulting from home, ensure you have a neutral background to avoid any distractions. 
• Make sure that anyone else that might be in the vicinity of you taking that consultation is aware that you will be in consultation, so that they don't disturb you. 

MISTAKE 3

Time on the Telehealth call is wasted because the patient is not sure who you are or what they are supposed to do.

Solution: Introduce yourself and outline what to expect.

• Introduce yourself at the beginning of the consultation. Once both parties have joined, tell them your name and your profession.
• Outline how the call will run to set expectations: how long it might take, show the tools or features of the telehealth platform and assure the patient that the telehealth consultation is fully confidential.
• Build patient trust ensuring patients of confidentiality, privacy and security. 

MISTAKE 4

The patient hangs up at the end of the Telehealth consult without paying. 

Solution: Explain out-of-pocket expenses upfront & take payment.

• If you are taking any out of pocket console expenses or costs or payments out of the telehealth consultation, make sure you take them at the beginning of the consultation. We can also put some of this information in the booking flow of your booking widget to make sure that the patient actually clicks and accepts those payment terms upfront during the booking process as well. 
• If you are taking any out of pocket console expenses or costs or payments out of the telehealth consultation, make sure you take them at the beginning of the consultation.
• Calls less than 2 minutes don't incur a consultation charge by MyHealth1st. If you clean the attics out of pocket expenses up front and the patient decides to decline, you can simply end that consult.

Add MyHealth1st Telehealth to your practice today here

MISTAKE 5

You forgot to download any shared files during the call.

Solution: The easiest solution for this is to download everything during the telehealth session.

• Files shared/created during the Telehealth consultation are not available once the call has been ended.
• Document sharing of information via Telehealth is secure and all files and working documents are deleted at the conclusion of each call for privacy and security reasons.

MyHealth1st recommendation: Take one moment at the end of each call to make sure you have downloaded everything. If you have made any downloads or any working files, then they will actually be available in your download section on your computer and you then have the ability to avoid those to the patient record in your practice management system so you have them for future consultations.

| THE BIGGEST mistake |

You’re getting no appointments for telehealth and your patients don't know that you have Telehealth. Your patients don't know that you have telehealth as an option.

Solution: Tell them!

Your patients won't know you are offering convenience until you tell them.

4 ways you can tell your patients that you are now offering Telehealth appointments :

1. Posts on social media
2. Update your website
3. Email to your entire patient database
4. SMS notification to your entire patient database inviting them to book a telehealth appointment online.