Building Rapport in Telehealth (Nursing)

00:01 Carlos was nervous for his first telehealth appointment.

00:04 The healthcare provider came onto the screen and started asking him questions about his foot and leg pain.

00:11 Wrote down a few notes and then gave him a diagnosis.

00:14 The trouble was, Carlos was rattled by the fast paced nature of the conversation and forgot to mention his new job that required twice as many hours on his feet.

00:26 Furthermore, he didn't feel comfortable sharing that he got into a bicycle wreck a few months ago, and never fully recovered.

00:33 He was embarrassed because of these unintentional omissions.

00:38 The healthcare provider miss diagnose the condition, and Carlos suffered several more months before he met with a different healthcare provider.

00:47 The new healthcare provider took their time, builds a connection, and ask meaningful questions.

00:54 Carlos describe the pain, the situations, and his new healthcare provider was able to help him get better.

01:03 What is the decisive factor between the first and the second healthcare provider? Rapport.

01:11 Rapport fosters mutual trust, respect, and open communication.

01:16 When patients feel a genuine connection with their healthcare provider, they are more likely to share relevant information, express concerns openly, and adhere to treatment plans.

01:28 How can you create an environment to build rapport in a telehealth situation? Before you speak to your patient, you can create an environment where people are more likely to be open.

01:42 Choose a warm and clean background for your screen.

01:46 A cluttered, chaotic, or insensitive background can impact the comfort of your patient before you say anything.

01:54 Consider a blank or organized background.

01:58 Some people use a blank wall, a bookshelf, or perhaps utilize a virtual background with say the company logo or a picture of a real life doctor's office in it.

02:09 If you are going to use a virtual background, I suggest a professional looking scene, like a doctor's office, office space, or space with a picture of your company logo.

02:22 As much as you may love the beach or the mountains, your patient likely doesn't want to see your favorite vacation spot, even if it is a virtual background.

02:33 Also, consider your lighting and camera positioning.

02:37 Talking to a dimly lit, or glowingly lit, or blank box of a person does not enhance trust or build rapport.

02:46 Consider investing in a ring light, shades, or lamps to enhance your lighting situation.

02:53 Also, looking at a healthcare providers forehead up their nose, a major close up or too far back is not optimal.

03:03 Consider placing your camera at eye level so that you are looking at the person.

03:10 The optimal distance for your camera should appear hand to elbow since they handshake distant apart from the camera.

03:19 Too far back creates distance and to close can create discomfort.

03:26 These slight adjustments can make a massive difference in creating an environment that eases the patient experience.

03:35 It creates a more professional and warm environment.

03:39 So here's what I want you to do.

03:42 I want you to look at your current telehealth setup.

03:46 What tone, or what feeling does your current setup convey today? And how can you enhance your virtual world? Now, building rapport goes beyond the tone, the vibe, the setting of your environment.

04:04 You also build rapport through your conversations and connections.

04:10 So now that you've created an environment to enhance report, what can you say to build rapport? First, consider starting your telehealth conversation with a warm and engaging tone to break the ice and ease any patient anxiety.

04:29 Begin by introducing yourself and sharing a bit about your background and interests to humanize the encounter.

04:36 Invite patients to introduce themselves, their interests or any concerns they may have at the beginning of the consultation.

04:45 Look for common interests or experiences with the patient to build a connection and demonstrate genuine interests.

04:54 You can also include empathetic open ended questions such as, how are you feeling about the consultation? In the consultation, be mindful of your pace and tone to ensure clarity and accessibility for patients.

05:10 Speaking too fast may be interpreted as uncaring.

05:15 Too slow, might be interpreted as condescending or belittling.

05:20 You may adjust your pace depending on your patient to meet them where they are mirroring the pace of their speech to a degree.

05:30 Welcome and encourage patients to ask questions and seek clarification during the consultation.

05:37 You can begin by setting an expectation for questions at the beginning of the consultation.

05:44 And pause occasionally, throughout the conversation.

05:48 I might say something like now sometimes I get questions about this aspect of care or this type of medicine.

05:57 What questions do you have for me? Lastly, ask open-ended questions.

06:04 It's better to ask open-ended, "What questions do you have for me?" Rather than a closed ended, "Do you have any questions?" The open ended question assumes that there are questions.

06:19 Also, do you have any questions is a closed question with a simple yes or no response.

06:26 The first question, what questions do you have for me, opens the door to more conversation, deeper understanding.

06:36 It acknowledges any concerns that your patient may have, and it offers context and understanding when possible.

06:44 So, here's what I want you to do.

06:47 Practice building rapport at the beginning of your conversation, and use rapport building techniques throughout your communication to enhance your patient telehealth experience.