How do you connect when you can’t see and barely know your patient? For the telehealth professionals, this is a daily challenge and one that many of us have learned to overcome with careful listening and genuine conversation. As the COVID crisis moved more and more interaction to the virtual arena, a growing number of healthcare professionals had to learn how to convey genuine caring and therapeutic interaction without touch, eye contact, or in many cases the opportunity to communicate non-verbally. There are ways to build that true connection and relationship, but it takes new skills and different perspectives. Through examples from social work, and nursing, participants will learn how to step up their telephonic game as we explore a number of case studies and best practices. The presentation will focus on communicating across the digital divide where often our clients cannot access, or proficiently use, advanced technology, but are able to speak with us on the phone.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Demonstrate new skills to interact therapeutically over the phone.
2. Build confidence for using the rapid advancement of telephonic care that has become part of the new reality for healthcare.
3. Explain strategies to connect with clients we cannot see in person building new skills to connect and support them.