Patient Engagement & Communication Skills Flashcards

Which of the following BEST describes the coordinator's role in supporting shared decision-making during a telehealth visit?

Answer: Providing patients with balanced information on treatment options and ensuring their values are communicated to the care team

Shared decision-making requires coordinators to ensure patients have complete, unbiased information and that their preferences reach the clinical team.

A patient expresses frustration that their telehealth visit felt impersonal. The MOST effective coordinator response is to:

Answer: Acknowledge the concern, apologize, and ask the patient to describe what would make future visits feel more connected

Empathic acknowledgment followed by open inquiry invites the patient to co-design a better experience and demonstrates that their feedback is valued.

In the context of health coaching via telehealth, SMART goals are useful because they:

Answer: Create specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound targets that patients can realistically pursue

SMART goals provide structure that makes patient self-management targets concrete and progress measurable.

A telehealth coordinator notices a patient's RPM device has not transmitted data in 5 days. The BEST course of action is to:

Answer: Contact the patient to identify whether the issue is technical or behavioral, then involve the care team

Data gaps may reflect device malfunction, connectivity issues, or patient disengagement—each requiring a different response, so direct outreach is essential.

Which communication approach is MOST effective when delivering a new chronic disease diagnosis during a telehealth video visit?

Answer: Using the SPIKES protocol to structure the disclosure, allowing pauses for the patient's emotional response

The SPIKES protocol (Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, Strategy) provides a structured, empathic framework for delivering serious news.

A patient from a low-income household lacks a reliable internet connection for video visits. The CTC's BEST response is to:

Answer: Explore telephone visit eligibility, community broadband programs, and whether the practice offers device lending

Social determinants of health require coordinators to address connectivity barriers through telephone alternatives, subsidy programs, or device resources.

Which documentation practice BEST supports continuity of care following a telehealth patient education session?

Answer: Recording the topics covered, patient's understanding level via teach-back, and agreed action steps in the EHR

Documenting education topics, comprehension confirmed by teach-back, and specific action steps enables the full care team to reinforce and follow up.