Get Telemed Ready. Settle in. Ask freely.
We’re here to help you get comfortable with an online health visit. Telehealth can be a phone call, video conversation or messages with a health professional. We’ll walk through what to have nearby, how to find some privacy and what to ask when the call ends. Being ready means being able to take part; it doesn’t mean a treatment is right for you.
A little room to get ready
Read the joining instructions, try the connection and save the office’s contact details in case it fails. These are among the basics in HHS’s visit preparation advice. We like having a way to ask for help that doesn’t depend on the link working.
Think about what brought you to the visit and what you want to ask. Have your current medicine details and any allergies close by, and leave room to ask for another explanation. A few readable notes will do; nobody needs a presentation about your life.
A little privacy makes room to talk
Choose a place where you can speak freely. Think about who might hear your answers as well as what someone could see behind you; our privacy page walks through both. Read about privacy preparation.
Questions and information worth having ready
Pick the concern you most want to talk about. Then gather the details you’d like the clinician to know. HHS suggests having medicine information, medical history and pharmacy contact details ready.
Your notes can be rough. “I’m not sure how to describe this” is a useful place to begin, and “Can you explain that again?” is a useful place to pause. Keep your notes beside you; our preparation page covers the rest.
Keep hold of what happens afterwards
The next step might be another appointment, a test, a different provider or medication. Ask where the written instructions will arrive and who can answer a question later. We’d want those details close to the notes from the call.
Some concerns need an in-person examination or lab test. For severe chest pain or severe shortness of breath, call 911 in the United States rather than waiting for an online visit. Our costs and follow-up page covers the everyday next steps.
Keep this handy
Find a private spot and keep the joining instructions close. Have your questions, current medicine information and allergies nearby. Ask where the instructions will arrive and who can help with the next step.