It's easy for physicians to show empathy with nonverbal cues during in-person or even video visits. But how can clinicians illustrate how much they care during asynchronous message exchanges?
It's a question physicians have been asking as they increasingly turn to messaging as a form of healthcare, with some health systems even charging for interactions through patient portals like MyChart.
To show "digital empathy," physicians can start by acknowledging the messages promptly, according to Matthew Sakumoto, MD, chief medical information officer of Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health's West Bay Region in San Francisco.
"We're doing a lot of work behind the scenes, but the patient doesn't realize it," Dr. Sakumoto said at an American Medical Association webinar covered in a July 25 article. A quick "'Hey, we got your message' reply and an explanation of what is being done in response usually helps calm a concerned patient."
At the same time, physicians have to set expectations for what is appropriate for a message and what conditions require an in-person or video appointment, according to Dr. Sakumoto. But providers can also build relationships with patients — even in messages — by asking questions about their children or recent vacations, for instance.
"Adding a personal touch actually does make a difference," Dr. Sakumoto said during the AMA webinar. "I think of it like the digital version of a handwritten thank-you note — and it's nice to get those every so often."
Dr. Sakumoto also noted that physicians shouldn't dread long messages from patients — in the long run, they can cumulatively provide an instructive narrative that can help with treatment decisions. "Having those multiple, repeated interactions with a patient, you get a sense of why they are so worried about a clinical symptom that doesn't seem that worrisome — at least to me," he said at the webinar.