Doctors Are Scrambling to Learn ‘Webside Manner’
As patients turn to telemedicine, doctors must learn to convey empathy over screens
Tania Elliott, MD, a telemedicine provider who specializes in immunology, says preparing for a video visit with a patient is a lot like setting up for a TV broadcast. “Set up your computer in front of a bookshelf or a wall with a painting — you don’t want your camera to face a door, since it gives the patient the sense you might leave,” she says. “And always wear your white coat and make sure your face is framed with the camera.
Elliott has trained hundreds of doctors on remotely setting the stage for connection and trust during her work as medical director for Doctor on Demand, a pay-per-visit telehealth service. Now, as Covid-19 strains clinics and hospitals, more and more doctors are being forced to pivot their in-person practices to telehealth. And as they rush to implement new technology, they’re also learning about what Elliott calls “webside manner.”
There’s plenty of evidence that shows patients’ health outcomes are often only as positive as the patient-provider relationship. Good doctor-patient communication doesn’t just create more enjoyable doctor’s appointments; it can also promote better adherence to medications and lifestyle adjustments, and, ultimately, less…
