Preparing patients and providers for maternal telehealth
Preparation is key, both for providers who are new to maternal telehealth visits and for patients who are participating in telehealth care.
On this page:
Patient preparation
Your patients will need some time to prepare for their maternal telehealth appointments whether it’s their first time or a follow up visit.
There are several things you can do prior to your patient appointments to make sure they feel comfortable.
- Confirm your patient has access to the Internet. If not, share resources with them and/or consider other forms of telehealth communication
- Ask them to write down their questions and concerns ahead of time
- Ask if they need assistive devices for the telehealth appointment
- Ask that they wear loose clothing in case you need to see parts of their body
- Make sure they receive and understand instructions on how to get online
- Encourage them to log into the appointment early to make sure their video, speakers, and sound are all working
There are also several ways to help your patient feel comfortable and confident during the appointment.
- Introduce yourself and ask if the patient has privacy and feels safe to speak
- Ask what questions or concerns they may have
- Make sure they understand test results or diagnoses that you are giving them
- Include the patient’s spouse, partner, or other family member in the discussion if the patient includes them in the video chat
- Follow up on remote monitoring results or concerns
- Provide information, if needed, such as information about public programs like Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program or Medicaid
- Educate and encourage patients to get vaccinations that are safe during pregnancy
Maternal telehealth care doesn’t end when your video chat is finished. Here are several ways to follow up with your patient and continue building the relationship.
- Send your patient instructions on what to do if they go into labor or experience pre-term bleeding or contractions
- Follow up with links or mail handouts on prenatal and postpartum local, state, and federal resources
- Schedule any testing or diagnostic imaging as soon as possible
- Send your patients for referrals to specialists, mental health professionals or substance abuse counselors, if needed
- Schedule any follow up maternal telehealth appointments
Provider preparation
There are several ways your providers and staff can make sure telehealth visits are successful for you and your patients:
- Encourage your providers and staff members to take online training in health equity. This will help your practice provide the best quality care to the patients who need it most.
- Book longer appointments for new patients and new parents. This extra time is critical for patients who may be new to telehealth or for patients with connectivity or privacy issues. The extra time will help them fully understand their maternal telehealth care plan and give them the opportunity to ask questions.
- Have an emergency plan in place. Pregnancy and postpartum complications can sometimes be severe, even life-threatening for the parents and the baby. Set up an emergency plan with each telehealth patient and keep it in their file.
- Be flexible with your provider and patient communication methods. Many pregnant families may not always have access to reliable and stable internet connections. This affects the very people who could benefit the most from health equity using maternal telehealth care. Other forms of non-video communication could include phone calls, emails, or chats through a health care portal.
- Keep up-to-date electronic health records (EHR) and read them. Pregnancy and maternal healthcare can be a sensitive issue for many patients. Give yourself time to read the patient’s EHR before each appointment. This will help you treat your telehealth patients who are dealing with sensitive issues.
- Be prepared with follow up plans after the appointment. Let your patient know what will come next in their maternal telehealth care plan. Take time to answer questions and ensure they understand their next steps. While some follow up plans need to be done in person, there are several ways you can continue to provide maternal telehealth care. This includes setting up a telehealth appointment to review lab or diagnostic test results; use remote monitoring; and provide referrals for other telehealth care services, such as lactation support or telebehavioral health.
More information
Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact — from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Disparities Resources — from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services — from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services