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Talking with patients, families and community about virtual care

Plain, respectful conversations that build trust in virtual care.

What this is: how to talk about virtual care so patients and families understand it and feel comfortable with it.

Who it's for: Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners, nurses, and anyone who talks with patients about virtual care.

Trust comes first

Virtual care is new to many patients, and a screen can feel strange where a face does not. How you talk about it shapes whether people accept it. The trusted local person is usually the best one to have these conversations.

Keep the language plain

  • Use everyday words. Say "a doctor will join by video", not "we will facilitate a virtual consultation".
  • Use short sentences and one idea at a time.
  • Avoid jargon and acronyms. If you must use a term, explain it.
  • Let the patient set the pace, and leave space for questions.

Check understanding with teach-back

Do not ask "do you understand?", because most people will say yes. Instead, ask the patient to tell you in their own words what will happen. This shows you what landed and what to explain again. It is a check on your explanation, not a test of the patient.

Explain what virtual care is, and is not

  • It is a way to see a doctor or specialist without a long trip.
  • A trusted staff member stays in the room with them.
  • It is their choice, and they can change their mind.
  • It does not replace seeing someone in person when that is what they need.

Talk about the common worries

  • Privacy. Explain the consult is in a private room and their information is protected.
  • The technology. Reassure them the staff member runs the equipment, not them.
  • Being understood. Offer an interpreter, and mean it.
  • Family. Let them know family or a support person can be there if they want.

Involve family and community

In many communities, health decisions involve family, not just the individual. Make space for that. Ask the patient who they want with them, and let family be part of the conversation when the patient wants them there.

Cultural safety in every conversation

Only the patient and their community can say whether care feels safe. Use the patient's name and the way they prefer to be addressed, do not rush, and do not assume. If you are an Aboriginal Health Worker or Practitioner, the way you hold these conversations is part of the clinical care, not separate from it.

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Visionflex acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.