Telemedicine: Empowering Introverted Physicians
It’s not uncommon to conjure up an image of a physician as a person who effortlessly lights up the room with their charisma, garrulously eliciting patient histories, and always being energized by leading clinical teams on the ground. In reality, however, many physicians — about 35% according to Medscape’s 2018 Physician Lifestyle and Happiness Report — identify as introverts.
Introverted individuals tend to draw energy and gratification from their internal world, often feeling exhausted by continuous social settings and preferring quiet times to recharge. But does introversion limit a person’s ability to become an effective physician? Quite the contrary. In the evolving landscape of healthcare, one particular advancement — telemedicine — could actually be a perfect fit for introverted physicians.
As a tele-nocturnist at Access TeleCare recently reported: “This is a great gig for an introverted personality. Some of us don’t want that constant hospital office interruption… You can have your set work environment, you can do things at home between patients. So, it works great for someone like me.”
Not only is telemedicine speedily transforming the patient-physician interaction, the new ways of interacting via telemedicine actually play to the strengths of many physician introverts.
1. Controlled Environment
Introverted individuals often thrive in controlled, quiet environments. They prefer solitude or one-on-one interactions over large group settings.
Especially in a hospital setting, introverted physicians are in a constant struggle to find a quiet corner to do their charting or just find a moment of alone time. This can be quite daunting for an introverted doctor.
Meanwhile, telemedicine allows physicians to set up their workspace in their preferred environment, free from the constant disruptions typical in a hospital or clinic setting.
2. Harnessing Introvert Strengths
Introverted physicians often possess skills that are highly valuable in patient care, including active listening, deep thought processes, and empathy.
A study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that physicians often interrupt their patients after a median of 11 seconds. Introverted physicians, in contrast, often listen longer and therefore may be able to elicit a fuller picture of patient complaints and history: “Introverts will be able to capitalize on their skills in listening and communication to converse with patients and to respond to them with empathy,” wrote Yoo Jung Kim in an article from US News & World Report.
Telemedicine, with its focus on one-on-one interactions, can truly harness these strengths.
3. Mitigating Misunderstandings
Given societal biases that often equate extroversion with confidence and success, introverted physicians might be misunderstood as aloof or disengaged.
Telemedicine offers an opportunity to manage these misperceptions. In the virtual space, physicians can take the time needed to engage more, smile more, and make meaningful eye contact. These seemingly small gestures can profoundly impact patient interactions, creating a sense of connection and understanding.
4. Greater Career Compatibility
Introverted physicians might prefer medical specialties that do not require constant patient contact. Telemedicine offers the flexibility for physicians to tailor their practice according to their comfort level, be it in the number of patients they see daily, the types of cases they handle, or the balance between face-to-face consultations and virtual visits.
“Hospitalist offices are very busy places — you have 30 computers and 50 physicians, we’re fighting over which computer has the EMR, and the introverts have built their quiet ICU corners where they can go and chart,” said the telenocturnist (who, true to introvert form, preferred not to be named). “It’s like, where am I gonna go sit for work? That shouldn’t be a hard thing. So in telemedicine, you can have your set work environment, and you can do things at home between patients. So that works great for an introvert.”
Telemedicine is certainly not an exclusive domain for introverted physicians. Its benefits extend far and wide, serving patients and healthcare professionals alike, regardless of their personality type. And ultimately, success as a telemedicine physician requires a combination of many skills. However, it does offer a unique opportunity for introverted physicians to leverage their innate strengths and deliver care in a manner that aligns with their personality and comfort.
Ultimately, whether introverted or extroverted, the ability to practice medicine successfully is not determined by personality alone, but by the commitment to patients and the passion for the craft. Embracing diversity in personality types among physicians allows for a healthcare environment that can cater to a broader range of patients, understanding that they too fall along a spectrum of personalities and preferences.
In an era where healthcare is more and more technology-driven, telemedicine offers a great path for introverted physicians — a platform to excel in their practice while being true to their nature.
