As a medical practitioner, healthcare center manager, or technician, the idea of administering an MRI scan can easily come off as a complicated matter. Such is the case when it comes to dealing with patients who aren’t well-versed with the process and need the assistance of someone who can help them walk through the process.
Understandably, patients can be scared or feel uneasy after being strapped down and put into a tight, enclosed space, right? This is why you must know how you can help calm them down to ensure a smoother process.
How you can help your patients prepare for an MRI scan much easier
While medical treatments and check-ups themselves aren’t necessarily something that most patients look forward to, the disdain of walking into the hospital can be further aggravated when the visit is for an MRI scan. In fact, the fear of the machine is so common that you’ve probably noticed your regular patients may not feel or act like their usual selves in the steps leading up to the procedure itself!
It may seem like a trivial matter at face value, but a bout of “scanophobia” is what causes thousands of patients each year to miss their appointments and avoid seeking necessary help. This means that being unable to help your patients feel less uneasy will lead not only to missed revenue but also a reduction in chances to serve the public and help patients stay safe!
Thankfully, there are a few ways that you can help put your patient at ease before their scheduled scan so that they won’t end up skipping out on a much-needed session:
Tip #1: Ask a patient if they have claustrophobia
You may not realize it now, but there likely are patients on your list who have an MRI scanner-induced claustrophobia. In fact, some don’t even know it until they’re in the machine already!
If you want to make your patient feel that they’ll be perfectly fine once they’re in your machine, it’s best to ask them if they have claustrophobia so that you can make the necessary adjustments. Once you ask about whether or not someone is fearful of tight spaces (especially during extended periods), then you can ask them what you can do to make the environment more relaxing!
Tip #2: Give your patient a brief and thorough rundown of what to expect
Most of the time, patients who don’t know how an MRI scan works end up trying to avoid it based on the mere presence of unfamiliarity.
When it comes to helping a patient get over the wall of uncertainty, the best way to calm them before the procedure is to give a much-needed rundown of what’s going to happen. Throughout the explanation, feel free to explain what happens, what they can expect, and what they’ll feel (or not) so that they become more familiar with what they’re dealing with!
Tip #3: Affirm a patient that you’re using high-quality, well-maintained equipment
Another effective way to help ensure that your patients feel more motivated to get an MRI scan is to explain how you keep up-to-date on maintenance procedures and only use top-level equipment. Telling a patient that you let a qualified expert like Direct Med Parts handle your supply and maintenance needs, for instance, will help put the patient in the right mindset in no time!
Conclusion
At first, dealing with a patient who is reluctant to get a CT scan can prove to be a fairly difficult effort because of what lies ahead. Thankfully, using the three tips mentioned above can help make things a whole lot easier when it comes to turning reluctant patients into willing ones just before their scheduled session!
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