Your Virtual Bedside Manner Is Just as Important

 Tips for practicing great Virtual Bedside Manner

Virtual healthcare appointments are more popular than ever, but video call manners don't come naturally to every physician! Especially if they are not very used to video chat tools. The same can go for patients as well. Patients are used to being seen in a doctor’s office
 face to face. These physical interactions can be translated in a very different way through virtual appointments that can make the patient feel misunderstood and disconnected. Below are our top tips for practicing great virtual bedside manners. 

1. Start with a high quality virtual healthcare platform.

Believe it or not the platform you choose for telemedicine matters. You want your patient to feel connected and important. That does not happen with lagging low quality software. One of the top platforms we recommend is Instacare. It is easy to use, has a clean patient portal that is welcoming, and does not require additional plugins. Instacare also offers customized branding to carry the in person clinic brand and atmosphere virtually. 

2. Set up a professional space for your virtual visits free of distractions.

A quiet space free of any distractions is important. This will set the tone for the virtual appointment. Calm music playing in the background can also elevate your patients' experience and make them feel less stressed. Make sure to also have no visual distractions in your surroundings. This could be a messy room, misplaced items, or even outside noises and visuals. Patients will only feel comfortable and secure if they feel their privacy is protected. In addition, a quiet, clean space will look much more professional on video.

3. Communicate effectively.

You should always maintain eye contact with the patients by looking straight into the webcam at eye level. Listen carefully to what they have to say and gesture to indicate that you understand them and hear them well. You should also ask high level questions to keep your patients engaged. This can be further emphasized through using a great telehealth software such as InstaCare. To learn more about what InstaCare can offer, visit instacaretech.com to book a demo with our team!

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Edelson, Courtney. “Virtual Bedside Manner: Connecting with Telemedicine.” Blog.pcc.com, blog.pcc.com/virtual-bedside-manner-connecting-with-telemedicine. 

‌“The Virtual Bedside: Bonding during Telehealth Appointments | Psychology Today Canada.” www.psychologytoday.com, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202008/the-virtual-bedside-bonding-during-telehealth-appointments.