You answer the same patient questions in every appointment
Most of what you repeat in clinic is the same eight or ten explanations: what the procedure involves, how to prepare, recovery, the risks in plain words, fees and insurers. Record each one as a 2 to 3 minute video, send it before and after appointments, and put it on your website and booking confirmations. The video supports your consent discussion, it never replaces it, and it should cut the calls your secretary takes afterwards.
- steps
- 8
- steps
- to start
- 2 weeks elapsed, 10 minutes a day
- to start
The short answer
Most of what you repeat in clinic is the same eight or ten explanations: what the procedure involves, how to prepare, recovery, the risks in plain words, fees and insurers. Record each one as a 2 to 3 minute video, send it before and after appointments, and put it on your website and booking confirmations. The video supports your consent discussion, it never replaces it, and it should cut the calls your secretary takes afterwards.
8 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 8 done
For two weeks your secretary logs every patient call by topic only, no names or details. You jot down the explanations you repeat in clinic. Rank the top 8 to 10 by how often they come up.
- Time
- 2 weeks elapsed, 10 minutes a day
- Typical cost
- Free
- Who does it
- You and secretary
Done when: You have a ranked list of questions with a call count against each
This problem is Solvable.
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Patient question video planner and script template
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1. Two-week call log (secretary)
Topic only. No patient names, dates of birth or clinical details.
| Topic | Week 1 tally | Week 2 tally | Total | Already explained in clinic? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What the procedure involves | Yes / No | |||
| How to prepare | Yes / No | |||
| What recovery feels like and how long it takes | Yes / No | |||
| Is this pain or swelling normal | Yes / No | |||
| Risks and side effects | Yes / No | |||
| How much it costs and what is included | Yes / No | |||
| Will my insurer cover it, and what do I need to do | Yes / No | |||
| Time off work, driving, exercise | Yes / No | |||
| Other: [topic] | Yes / No |
New patients seen in these two weeks: [number] Calls per new patient: [total calls divided by new patients]
2. Starter question list
Pick the 8 to 10 that match your log.
- What happens at your first appointment with me
- How my fees work, what is included and what is billed separately
- Using your health insurance: pre-authorisation, excess and shortfalls
- What [procedure] involves, step by step
- The main risks of [procedure], in plain numbers
- What recovery looks like week by week
- What is normal after [procedure] and when to call us
- Getting back to work, driving and exercise
- Your follow-up appointment and results
3. Script template (one per question, 300 to 400 words)
Question: [the question, in the patient's words]
Who I am (10 seconds) "I'm [Name], consultant [specialty]. This video answers a question patients often ask me: [question]."
The short answer (20 seconds) [One or two sentences.]
The detail (90 seconds) [Three to five points, in the order patients ask about them. Numbers, not adjectives: "about 1 in 100", "most people are back at a desk job in two weeks".]
What is normal and when to call (20 seconds) "It's normal to [x]. Please call us on [phone] if [y]. If you are worried out of hours, [out of hours route]."
Your own decision (10 seconds) "This video is to help you prepare. We'll talk it through together, and you can ask me anything before you decide."
Version: [1.0] | Recorded: [date] | Review by: [date + 12 months] | Checked against consent form version: [x]
4. Before publishing
- Risks match my consent form and patient letters
- Fees and insurer wording checked by my secretary and dated
- No patient, record or screen in shot
- No promise of outcome, no comparison with other consultants
- Captions corrected by hand
- Transcript published under the video
- Hosted on a practice-owned account, not a personal one
- Review date in the diary
5. Where each video goes
| Video | Booking confirmation | New patient letter | Clinic letter after decision | Website page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First appointment | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Fees and insurers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| [Procedure] explained | Yes | Yes | ||
| Recovery and what is normal | Yes | Yes |
6. Review log
| Video | Last reviewed | Changed? | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|
| [title] | [date] | [Yes/No, what] | [date] |
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Recording one 15-minute video that covers everything, which patients stop watching after two minutes.
- Quoting fees in a video, then raising fees and leaving the old figure online.
- Risk figures in the video that differ from the ones on your consent form.
- Relying on automatic captions, which mangle drug and procedure names.
- Saying "it's all in the video" instead of asking the patient what they took from it.
- Hosting on a secretary's or supplier's account, so the videos disappear when they leave.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
Share information in a format the patient prefers, written, audio, translated, pictures or other media
GMC decision making and consent guidance, paragraph 27, in force since 9 November 2020
Source: GMC Decision making and consent
Give patients time and opportunity to consider information before and after making a decision
GMC decision making and consent guidance, paragraph 27
Source: GMC Decision making and consent
You must check whether patients have understood the information they have been given
GMC decision making and consent guidance, paragraph 30. A video view is not a check of understanding
Source: GMC Decision making and consent
Captions for all prerecorded audio in video
WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.2.2, level A, the baseline accessibility standard for web content
Source: W3C WCAG 2.2
1 to 2 calls per new patient about things already explained in clinic
Solvable estimate for a procedure-based practice, not a published figure; measure your own with the two-week call log in step 1
Solvable estimate
6 to 10 minutes of each new appointment spent on standard explanations
Process, preparation, recovery, fees and insurer questions. Solvable estimate, not a published figure; time it in a few of your own clinics
Solvable estimate
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for consultants
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does sending a video count as consent?
No. GMC guidance is clear that the exchange between you and the patient is central to decision making, and you must check what they have understood. A video helps them prepare and remember, then you have the conversation.
Can I talk about fees and insurers in a video?
Yes. Explain how your fees work, what is included and what is billed separately, and that patients must check cover and any excess with their insurer before treatment. Date the video and review it whenever your fees change.
Should the videos be public or unlisted?
General questions, such as fees or what happens at a first appointment, can be public and help patients find you. Procedure detail can be unlisted and sent by link. Either way, keep patients and their information out of shot.
Do I need captions and transcripts?
Yes. Many patients watch with the sound off, some have hearing loss, and a transcript lets a relative read it or a translation tool convert it. Correct the automatic captions by hand.
How many videos do I need to start?
Five is enough to see a difference: first appointment, fees and insurers, your main procedure, recovery, and what is normal afterwards. Add more as your call log shows the gaps.
How is this different from an introduction video?
An introduction video helps a patient choose you. These answer the questions patients ask once they have booked, so they sit in your booking confirmations and letters rather than on your homepage.
Looking for an introduction video that helps patients choose you?
See: Patients can't see or hear you before they book
Looking for help preparing patients for a procedure?
See: Patients turn up anxious or unprepared for their procedure
Last reviewed:
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