CTP Patient Engagement Strategies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Motivational interviewing (MI) in telehealth is PRIMARILY used to:
- Diagnose mental health conditions remotely
- Elicit a patient's intrinsic motivation to change health behaviors (Correct answer)
- Train patients to use the telehealth platform correctly
- Document patient-reported outcomes for billing purposes
Correct answer: Elicit a patient's intrinsic motivation to change health behaviors
MI is a patient-centered counseling technique designed to strengthen a person's own motivation and commitment to change.
Question 2: A patient shares that they feel embarrassed discussing mental health concerns over video because family members may overhear. The BEST response is to:
- Advise the patient that privacy is their own responsibility
- Help the patient identify a private space and consider headphone use for sensitive discussions (Correct answer)
- Switch the patient to group telehealth sessions to normalize the conversation
- Discontinue mental health care and refer to written self-help resources
Correct answer: Help the patient identify a private space and consider headphone use for sensitive discussions
Helping the patient problem-solve around environmental privacy barriers directly addresses the concern and preserves the therapeutic relationship.
Question 3: Which of the following is a validated patient engagement tool that tracks patients' activation level in managing their health?
- PHQ-9
- Patient Activation Measure (PAM) (Correct answer)
- AUDIT-C
- CAGE questionnaire
Correct answer: Patient Activation Measure (PAM)
The Patient Activation Measure (PAM) quantifies a patient's knowledge, skills, and confidence in self-managing their health.
Question 4: During a telehealth visit, a provider notices the patient seems distracted and disengaged. Which technique is MOST appropriate?
- Continue the session and document patient non-participation
- Pause and use an open-ended check-in such as 'You seem a little distracted — what's on your mind?' (Correct answer)
- End the visit early to avoid wasting time
- Speak louder and faster to recapture attention
Correct answer: Pause and use an open-ended check-in such as 'You seem a little distracted — what's on your mind?'
An empathetic, open-ended check-in acknowledges the patient's state and invites them to re-engage or disclose an underlying issue.
Question 5: Teach-back is used in telehealth patient engagement PRIMARILY to:
- Test the patient's intelligence and literacy level
- Confirm the patient can explain key information in their own words (Correct answer)
- Record the session for quality assurance purposes
- Train new telehealth staff on communication techniques
Correct answer: Confirm the patient can explain key information in their own words
Teach-back verifies comprehension by asking patients to restate information, reducing misunderstanding and improving adherence.
Question 6: A chronic disease management telehealth program wants to improve between-visit engagement. Which tool MOST directly supports this goal?
- Increasing the frequency of scheduled video visits
- Remote patient monitoring devices paired with automated symptom alerts (Correct answer)
- Mailing monthly paper newsletters to enrolled patients
- Requiring patients to visit the clinic for all lab work
Correct answer: Remote patient monitoring devices paired with automated symptom alerts
Remote patient monitoring paired with automated alerts keeps providers informed and cues patients to actively track their health between visits.
Question 7: Which element of shared decision-making is MOST important during a telehealth encounter?
- Presenting only the provider's preferred treatment to save time
- Ensuring the patient understands options and their preferences are incorporated into the plan (Correct answer)
- Having the patient sign a digital consent form before explaining anything
- Delegating all decisions to the patient to respect autonomy fully
Correct answer: Ensuring the patient understands options and their preferences are incorporated into the plan
Shared decision-making requires that patients receive balanced information about options and that their values and preferences shape the final plan.
CTP Patient Engagement Strategies 3
Motivational interviewing (MI) in telehealth is PRIMARILY used to: