Human Factors Considerations for Patients: A Cursory Review of Telehealth Guidelines

During the COVID-19 pandemic, changes to telehealth laws and policies enabled more patients to meet with their healthcare providers remotely. The rapid implementation of telehealth has resulted in providers and patients interacting remotely with few existing standards or guidelines. Additionally, a cursory search of telehealth guidelines for patients revealed overly broad recommendations related to technology, security, and environmental requirements. Although researchers have recommended some human factors considerations for guidelines, these recommendations were rarely implemented in the guidelines we reviewed. Therefore, human factors professionals can contribute further by implementing best practices for telehealth appointments to create evidence-based standardized guidelines. Some initial areas to focus on include accessibility for patients, overcoming typical telehealth barriers, and addressing a wider diversity of patients.