Telehealth chiropractic care is changing the way that people manage their health and receive care from health professionals. Medical care is increasingly being offered outside of the office and telehealth chiropractic platforms are now making it possible for patients to receive care from the comfort of their homes. This new way of delivering care is proving to be a powerful tool for providing better patient outcomes and improving treatments. Many patients with accessibility challenges can now also more easily access treatment thanks to new online options and innovations. Telehealth chiropractic care makes it possible for practitioners to more easily check in on and speak to patients, it is possible to more regularly and easily address issues and concerns and it makes it possible for professionals to help with exercises and provide recommendations on a more flexible basis.
Another benefit to this practice is that it will reduce no shows and lessen the chance that patients will cancel or miss their appointments which maximizes productivity and increases the revenue of your practice. The comfort and convenience of allowing patients to attend appointments without leaving their homes also mean that you may find new patients seeking your services.
Telehealth chiropractic services are not there to replace in-person treatment, but rather act as a convenient aid and help practices to stay up to date with current demand. Here are a few things you should know;
Software requirements
If you’re planning to offer virtual treatment sessions then there are a few things you should keep in mind and there are a few things you’ll need before you start to offer online services. Firstly you’ll need to opt for video services that are considered compliant with privacy requirements, conferencing systems such as Skype and FaceTime are usually not considered compliant. You should also know that you cannot communicate with your patients via text message about anything relating to their treatment other than to send them appointment reminders unless they have given you consent to send them messages about other matters.
Hardware requirements
You’ll need the right equipment to be able to work effectively in a virtual environment, this most of includes have a computer or tablet with a speaker, microphone and camera-enabled. It’s also important to have the right equipment like keyboards and consider lighting and making your set up work if you want to move around or demonstrate exercises. You’ll also need to make sure that you internet connection can handle video conferencing, you can check this easily with a speed test.
Office environment
You’ll need to ensure that you have proper space for conducting sessions appropriately. These spaces should be private, secure and quiet to ensure that your patient can properly hear and understand you. You’ll also need to make sure that you continue to dress and present professionally, appearing on camera or front your home doesn’t mean that you should dress casually or unprofessionally. You also need to think about keeping eye contact with your patients, many people find themselves easily distracted and may struggle to give patients proper attention.
Before a session
Before your first session make sure you check your technology and check that everything works correctly, it’s a good idea to do a practice session with a friend or family member. You should also ensure that your patient receives and signs any necessary consent forms and that you inform them of what to expect during their session – it’s a good idea to send them an email with any relevant information about their upcoming session or to discuss with them what happens in a session at their time of booking a telehealth chiropractic session.