Face to face - is it worth the effort?

I've posted before about ‘continuity of care’ & ‘digitisation by stealth’

We wrote this four months ago after listening to dozens of stories from our clients about their frustrations of trying to arrange GP appointments.

It’s taken until now for this debate to reach a national and public level. This morning I was listening to LBC Radio and the programme was dedicated to this emotive subject. The Prime Minister was asked about the crisis recently and said people were ‘entitled’ to see their GP in person – as he warned that thousands would ‘suffer’ unless face-to-face consultations were reinstated. Speaking to reporters in the US on 22/9/2021, Boris Johnston said in-person appointments were vital in ensuring life-threatening conditions were picked up early. And he firmly rejected a warning from the head of the Royal College of GPs that face-to-face appointments may never return to pre-pandemic level.

This debate will rage on but it has made us appreciate the special relationship we, as audiologists, have with our clients and what it means to both of us.

My views have been well publicised but even within the highly specialist field of audiology similar debate is going on. There are those who advocate people no longer need or want to attend appointments with consultants. They claim this is inconvenient, and unnecessary, as appointments can be provided virtually. They cite this could reduce the costs of access to hearingcare as people will be happier to take ownership of their care with self-testing and self-fitting of hearing aids. The commoditisation of the delivery model has been promoted as the end of the medicalised distribution where someone seeks the help of a specialist?in a consulting room environment.

As a seasoned clinician, I appreciate change is always just around the corner.?Sometimes that change is well thought out delivering real tangible benefits but at other times, change is not alway for the best but we have to engage with new methods to experience any shortcomings.

Virtual care was rushed into audiology at the start of the pandemic, heralded as a fantastic support tool for those with communication needs who couldn’t attend appointments due to lockdown. At the time, the technology was ready to roll-out just waiting for the right occasion. Some have claimed this was delayed for fear how the existing traditional audiology delivery model would react if there was a risk they felt they were being sidelined and potentially, bypassed. There have been concerns the new technology would be hijacked by disruptors whose in intention was aligned elsewhere.

I have no reason to believe that virtual care will become the Betamax of the twenty-twenties, it has a valid place as does face to face care as well.?I know for us at #HearingHealthcarePractice, we will always advocate for the later, as the unique patient clientele we attract look to us to balance the best of technology but with the best of human interaction and professional service.?

A high percentage of our clients have already sort help elsewhere which failed to deliver for them (for a variety of reasons) which is why they approach us. Our approach is borne out of lengthy discussions, much soul-searching over many months and years, building a relationship and unbreakable bond of trust.?Yesterday I was reminded about the importance of face to face care in this interesting Oped in the Sunday Times. Written by Margaret McCartney, a GP based in Glasgow, she refers to martini medicine and the hidden benefits of continuity of care.?You can read more here: