You will need the following: 1. Any device with video and microphone capability (smart phone, tablet, computer etc.). 2. Reliable, hi-speed internet for the duration of the Virtual Visit. 3. A browser that supports the Virtual Visit service (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
You only need to click on the link in the email from your provider for the Virtual Visit appointment.
When you click on the link to start a Virtual Visit you will see a message from the video service requesting access to your camera and microphone. By clicking “Allow” the video service will access your device’s camera, microphone, and audio options for the video appointment.
You can click on the microphone icon before entering the video appointment or during to choose which microphone source you’d like to use on your device. The listed microphone options for your device will have a sound bar next to them that should fluctuate as you speak into your device. You can mute or un-mute yourself by clicking on the microphone icon at any time.
Before you join the Virtual Visit, you can test the audio from your device by clicking on the small arrow next to the microphone icon and selecting the “test” button over the available audio options for your device. If you cannot hear a participant you can also check your audio settings during the video appointment. Don’t forget to ask if the other participant if they muted their microphone.
Yes, however participants can choose not to use their web cameras. You can choose to turn the camera off or on before joining the Virtual Visit or by clicking on the video recorder icon during the appointment. If a participant has their camera turned off you will still be able to see their name.
You can improve the speed and quality of your video appointment by going to settings and lowering your video resolution.
Each video appointment has its own link that will be provided to participants before the appointment in an email reminder. Once you’ve clicked on the link and a window for the Virtual Visit has opened, click the “join meeting” button to start the video appointment. If a participant opens the video appointment link before the video host has started the session they will be placed in a virtual waiting room until the host arrives.
First check to confirm you are using a supported web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari), then check to confirm you are connected to reliable internet. If the issue persists, contact your provider to open a different Virtual Visit session.
You can return to the Virtual Visit by clicking on the same link provided for the video appointment. This will open the same appointment video. As long as the provider is still running the video session, the visit will remain active. If the Virtual Visit is no longer active, contact your provider to start the session again.
You can end the Virtual Visit by clicking on the phone icon to “leave” the video room. This will safely and securely end the video.
Office Ally Virtual Visits is a new telehealth service that adds the ability for patients and providers to complete appointments via video chat.
This will vary for each provider based on their specialty so you should contact their office for more details on this matter.
This will depend on the type of appointment with your provider. Appointment reminders for Virtual Visits will include the duration of the appointment.
Patients who have a Patient Ally account can schedule a Virtual Visit appointment through the Appointments section. Patients who do not have a Patient Ally account will need to contact their provider’s office to schedule the Virtual Visit. Please note that patients can only request a Virtual Visit in Patient Ally if their provider offers the service.
The response will take the same amount of time a normal appointment does, whether it’s through Patient Ally, or by contacting the provider’s office.
Patients will first receive an email when the Virtual Visit appointment has been scheduled confirming the date and time of the appointment. Then a second email will be sent the morning of the appointment with a link for the patient to join the Virtual Visit for its scheduled time.
Patients will receive reminders using the email address the provider has on file. For patients who use Patient Ally, this may or may not be the same email in your Patient Ally account. If you want to confirm which email address your provider will be using, please reach out to your provider's office to confirm.
This will depend on the provider’s process of recording and sending clinical summaries to their patients. Contact your provider’s office for more details.
The visits are authenticated and have encryption which prevents anyone besides the provider and patient from accessing the Virtual Visit.
Yes, you will be able to see the names of participants; however participants can choose not to use their web cameras.