Patient Engagement and Accessibility

Telehealth services should be designed to be accessible, understandable, and easy to use for all patients. This guidance highlights approaches for educating patients and reducing barriers to participation.


Educate Patients about Telehealth Services

For telehealth services to be effective, patients must be aware of them as part of a hybrid care model, understand how to access them, and feel comfortable that virtual care can meet their needs. Patient education should therefore be a core component when implementing and expanding telehealth programs.

Explain telehealth services and benefits in clear, plain-language

  • Avoid technical jargon when talking to patients about telehealth. Many patients may not be familiar with terms like “telehealth” or “virtual care.” Use simple descriptions – for example, “online video appointments with your pharmacist” instead of “synchronous telemedicine consults.”
  • Emphasize what telehealth means for the patient: convenient access to care from home, timely advice about medications, and coordinated care with the rest of their care team. By focusing on benefits such as saving time or avoiding travel, you’ll help patients build enthusiasm for trying virtual visits.

Provide multi-format learning materials

  • Use multiple formats (videos, brochures, FAQs) to accommodate different learning styles and literacy levels. For instance, you might create a patient-friendly brochure or one-page handout that outlines how your telehealth service works and its benefits. Additionally, consider short video tutorials or demonstrations on your website – for example, a walk-through of joining a video call – to visually show the process. Some practices host live demonstrations or “open house” events (either in-person or via webinar) to let patients see a telehealth visit in action and ask questions in real time.
  • A Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) on the patient portal or clinic website is also helpful for addressing common concerns. The goal is to make sure that patients, regardless of their health literacy, have accessible resources that prepare them for a telehealth experience.

Offer pre-visit instructions on logging in, testing equipment, and preparing for the appointment

  • Educate patients on practical steps to get ready for their appointment. This includes pre-visit instructions such as how to access the relevant telehealth technology, how to test their device’s camera and microphone, and any steps to take if something isn’t working. For example, you might send an email in advance telling the patient: “On the day of your video visit, find a quiet, well-lit space and join the session 10 minutes early to test your connection.”
  • Encourage patients to treat a virtual appointment as they would an in-person one, particularly being on time and having their medication list accessible. Advise what equipment they will need to participate – typically just a smartphone with internet access – to dispel any notion that special devices are required. When patients know exactly what to expect and do, they are much more likely to show up prepared and ready to engage.

Invite questions and feedback

  • Encourage patients to ask questions about telehealth logistics or voice any worries. You can prompt this by saying, “Do you have any concerns about doing your appointment online? I’d be happy to talk through them,” or providing a phone line they can call for questions, if available in your setting.
  • By normalizing questions, you allow patients to express confusion so you can address any issues upfront. Ongoing feedback from patients can also highlight whether additional training or information is needed in your educational materials.

Ensure Accessibility for All Patients

Telehealth services must be designed to ensure no patient is left behind. This includes addressing potential barriers faced by patients with disabilities, those with non-English language preferences, or limited access to relevant technology. Providing equitable telehealth access isn’t just good practice – in many cases, it’s required by U.S. law, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and federal civil rights laws for language access. Many of these features are likely to be included in commercially available software supporting telehealth, including major electronic health records systems.

Provide aids such as real-time captioning, screen reader compatibility, and interpreters to comply with ADA and Section 504 requirements

  • For patients with low vision, the telehealth interface should be compatible with screen readers (software that reads text aloud). Any patient-facing instructions, forms, or other documents should be available in large print or audible format. If your telehealth platform uses recorded video content, include audio descriptions that narrate on-screen activity for those who cannot see it. For those with hearing loss, provide real-time captioning during live video visits and ensure your video platform can integrate a sign language interpreter into the call, if needed. Some patients may have difficulty typing or navigating complex interfaces. Ensure your telehealth system has a simple, uncluttered user interface and consider compatibility with assistive devices (like alternative input hardware). Also, consider allowing flexibility in appointment length for those who need extra time or support.

Choose platforms that meet digital accessibility standards

  • Optimally, your telehealth service would be designed to be usable by as many people as possible without special adaptation. International standards like the WHO-ITU Global Standard for Accessibility of Telehealth Services (2022) provide guidance on making telehealth inclusive of people with various disabilities. This can include technical criteria (e.g., color contrast for the visually impaired, or keyboard-only navigation for those who can’t use a mouse) and policy recommendations (e.g., training staff on disability etiquette).

Provide language access for patients with non-English language preferences

  • Language can be a barrier to telehealth, as with other clinical interactions, if not addressed. For any patient population that includes non-English speakers or those more comfortable in another language, provide language access services as your system likely does for in-person clinical visits. This means offering interpreter support during telehealth visits and translating key written materials such as login instructions. Telehealth platforms should be vetted for their ability to allow a professional medical interpreter to join a session remotely or at least have a three-way call for phone interpretation. Additionally, when sending patient communications (emails, text reminders, portal announcements), include a note in other common languages spoken by your patients that explains how to get help in those languages. By proactively addressing language needs, you ensure that telehealth is inclusive and welcoming for patients with non-English language preferences.

Provide Technical Support for Patients

Though telehealth services are becoming more common and patient education can overcome some obstacles, technical support is essential to keep services running smoothly.

Offer live technical assistance via phone or chat before and during visits

  • Don’t wait for patients to become frustrated – provide proactive tech support. This could start with a pre-visit tech check: depending on support resources, staff could call the patient a day before to walk them through installing the app or using the platform. This is particularly valuable for the patient’s first visit. On the day of the appointment, ensure you have access to dedicated support line, typical for larger health-systems, for any last-minute issues connecting and ensure patients know how to reach this support easily. When patients know help is readily available, they’ll feel more confident engaging with telehealth.

Create user friendly guides, FAQs, and short video tutorials for common tasks

  • Anticipate common technical questions (“How do I download the telehealth app?”, “What if I can’t turn on my microphone?”) and provide simple step-by-step guides. Written instructions with screenshots can be very useful, as can short video tutorials demonstrating how to perform key tasks like logging in, or starting the video visit. Place these resources on your website or portal where patients schedule their telehealth visits. By having answers available in advance, patients can troubleshoot minor issues independently. However, keep the language as jargon-free as possible. For instance, “click the camera icon to turn your video on” instead of “activate your webcam.” A well-crafted FAQ can resolve common issues without hands-on intervention.

Develop a backup plan to maintain continuity of care if video fails

  • Despite optimal planning, video visits may fail due to bandwidth issues or other connection problems. Establish a clear contingency plan so care is not disrupted if technology fails. A common approach is the “fail-safe” of switching to a phone call. At the start of a telehealth visit, instruct the patient that “if we get disconnected or the video freezes, I will call you at your phone number to continue our visit.” This way, both parties know what to do if a tech issue arises. While a telephone visit may not be ideal compared to video, it ensures the patient still receives outreach and the appointment isn’t lost. If the issue is on the provider’s side (as in a system outage), have staff ready to notify patients and reschedule or switch to phone visits as needed.

Train staff to address accessibility-related technical barriers promptly

  • Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians involved in telehealth should be familiar with the patient-side interface so they can guide patients (“click on the green ‘Join’ button...”). Consider developing an internal checklist or script for support staff to systematically troubleshoot common problems: audio issues, video issues, login problems. Staff should be aware of how to handle accessibility/assistive technology issues too.
References
Telehealth


ADVERTISEMENT