Empathy has been recognized as an essential element to improved patient outcomes, and it plays a vital role in the practice of telehealth nursing. Empathy encourages patient engagement and enables nurses and other members of the care team to build trusted relationships with those they are treating. At the same time, telehealth, or the use of computers and mobile devices to communicate and access health care services remotely, has also been steadily rising in popularity. A report from 2019 noted that national use of telehealth services grew 53 percent from 2016 to 2017, and today, it has become a critical component of global efforts to mitigate the spread and impact of COVID-19. While telehealth services have been celebrated for increasing access to care, specifically in rural areas, some worry that the use of technology and remote consultations may have an adverse effect on empathy. With the proper training, however, that is not the case. In fact, telehealth nursing offers a unique opportunity to provide patients with the same degree of compassionate care as they would receive in person, but with even more touchpoints along the way.
Nurses are typically viewed as a resource for patients after they’ve begun a new therapy, but their involvement often begins much sooner. As part of certain patient assistance programs, telehealth nurses make outreach within 24 hours of a patient receiving a diagnosis and treatment plan. They first confirm the clinical case qualifies for the specified drug and then help navigate necessary hurdles before a patient can begin treatment – benefit verification, prior authorizations, financial assistance, etc. The telehealth nurse also helps coordinate the drug shipment from a pharmacy to the patient or provider, and stays in constant contact with the patient to keep them fully informed on the status of the shipment and when they can expect to receive it. This not only lays a foundation of support and trust but also deters nonadherence from the very beginning. Providing a deeper level of visibility into the process keeps patients informed and engaged during the lag-time between initial diagnosis and the start of treatment.
After a patient begins therapy, the telehealth nurse educates them on what to expect throughout their therapeutic journey. This can be achieved through weekly or monthly check-ins, during which nurses provide counsel on medication management, side effects, and adherence strategies. These ongoing touchpoints are especially significant considering patients typically only retain about 49 percent of the information their doctors tell them.1 Throughout the treatment journey, telehealth nurses build rapport with each of their patients and identify the unique level of support each person wants and needs. Since patients’ medical and psychosocial needs vary, telehealth nurses personalize their approach to each individual. For some patients, this may consist of check-in calls to remind them when their next injection is due, when it’s time for a refill, or when to follow up on lab work. For others, it may include emotional support and reassurance if a patient is feeling down, discouraged or overwhelmed. Telehealth nurses understand that navigating a new diagnosis and treatment plan is challenging, which is why they ensure they are always easily accessible and never more than a phone call away.
To effectively provide these services while helping patients cope with their diagnosis and achieve a new sense of normalcy, telehealth nurses require both clinical and interpersonal training. At Lash Group, a patient support services provider, telehealth nurses are conditioned to develop motivational interviewing skills, which focus on open-ended questions to understand a patient’s motivation and beliefs to promote health. This strategy encourages nurses to listen to their patients and identify how they can be the best resource. In one recent instance, a Lash Group nurse shared that a patient called her because he was struggling. She asked him questions and invited him to share his experience, which revealed that the patient was ultimately upset that he couldn’t do the things he once could do as a result of his condition. With this understanding, the nurse was able to offer much-needed affirmation and encouragement in addition to clinical advice.
Telehealth nursing serves as a vital link in the continuum of care during times of uncertainty—whether that be following a patient’s new diagnosis or when facing a global pandemic like COVID-19. Telehealth nurses collaborate with the extended healthcare team, successfully fill gaps in care, and act as one of the most effective resources to support medication adherence and mitigate adverse events such as emergency room visits. With the proper training, nurses don’t have to sacrifice empathy and human connection for convenience and technology. Telehealth nurses are in a perfect position to foster meaningful, long-term relationships with patients that lead to better outcomes, no matter how many miles away.
1 Brown University School of Public Health. Factors associated with patient recall of key information in ambulatory specialty care visits: Results of an innovative methodology. February 2018.
- Empathy and Telehealth Nursing - April 7, 2020