A new study published in the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings suggests that patients who used Doctor On Demand’s video-based telemedicine visits appreciate their relationships with the physician and overall user experience, including access and convenience. Further, this study found that the majority of patients who interacted with 5-star rated physicians commented favorably and most frequently on the interpersonal connection and relationship-building aspects of virtual visits, and valued “building rapport” with their physician. These unexpected findings suggest positive behaviors that cultivate virtual relationships between physicians and patients, and enhance the perceived value of virtual health encounters.
“At Doctor On Demand, we’ve built a practice of full-time employed physicians who are dedicated to treating patients via video telemedicine in the same way they would in an in-person setting,” said Dr. Ian Tong, Chief Medical Officer at Doctor On Demand. “Telemedicine has long been criticized for being impersonal and transactional, but this study demonstrates that trust and rapport can be established through video-based care, and that patients find these personal connections incredibly valuable.”
The focus of the study was to establish criteria required to build and preserve safe, high-value, effective and compassionate virtual care delivery. The study performs a qualitative analysis of patient feedback on interpersonal skills displayed by the treating physician following video visits.
Methodology
The peer-reviewed study was led by Tania Elliott, MD (NYU Langone Health), and co-authored by Beth A. Lown, MD (The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare), Arwen Sheridan, MPH (Doctor On Demand) and Ian Tong, MD (Doctor On Demand). The authors performed a qualitative analysis of patient visit feedback with the purpose of building consensus around exemplary interpersonal and communication practices during a virtual urgent care visit from the patients’ point of view. The study reviewed and analyzed 4,572 comments from a random sample of nearly 50,000 comments that were rated 5 of 5 stars by patients after their video telemedicine visit.
The researchers developed a final set of codes which included: (1) Builds Rapport; (2) Patient Perspective; (3) Expectation and Agenda Setting; (4) Elicits Information; (5) Listens, Is Attentive; (6) Shares Information / Provides Guidance; (7) Shares Decision Making; (8) Spent Right Amount of Time; (9) User Experience; (10) Uncodable; and (11) Provided Treatment.
Key findings include:
- Over 30 percent of the patient comments coded were classified as “Building Rapport.”
- The next most frequently assigned code was “Shares Information and Provides Guidance.”
- Among codable comments, the third most frequently assigned code was “User Experience.”
- Interestingly, “Provided Treatment” only accounted for 2 percent of comments, which is different from previous literature suggesting that prescription receipt was a major driver of satisfaction.
The full study is available here.
About Doctor On Demand
Doctor On Demand, the nation’s leading virtual care provider, is reimagining what healthcare looks like for today’s world. Doctor On Demand’s nationwide healthcare platform puts the patient first by providing access to physicians, psychiatrists, therapists and a care coordination team via video visits, voice and messaging. Through its 5-star rated mobile application and website, patients can access quality care in all 50 states with an average wait time of 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Doctor On Demand delivers services through employers, health plans, Medicare Part B, and directly to consumers. While insurance isn’t required, tens of millions of Americans enjoy covered medical and behavioral health visits, including full mind and body services: preventive care, chronic care, urgent care, and behavioral health.
Doctor On Demand’s mission is to improve the world’s health through compassionate care and innovation. It is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. To access Doctor On Demand, download the app (App Store or Google Play) or visit www.doctorondemand.com.
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