Telehealth: What to Know Before Your Appointment
Below are several tips and best practices to review prior to your telehealth appointment at Atlanta Wellness Collective.
But first, a few things to note about telehealth:
Your secure video link will be emailed to you through your “appointment reminder” emails. Be sure that you’ve selected to receive email appointment reminders through your Client Portal. The secure video link will be emailed to you 10-15 minutes before each scheduled appointment.
If you use your phone or tablet for telehealth sessions, you will need to download the Telehealth by SimplePractice app, available for iOS or Android in the app store.
Please read below for everything you need to know.
Video Platform Details
What equipment do I need?
To participate in telehealth appointments, you will need one of the following devices:
Desktop computer with a webcam, speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4 GB of RAM
Laptop computer with built-in webcam and speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4 GB of RAM
Tablet device with built-in webcam and speakers
Smartphone with at least iOS 13 or Android 7.0
You will also need an internet connection that is at least 0.35 mbps. For optimal results, a reliable, high-speed internet connection with a bandwidth of at least 10-15 mbps will minimize connection issues and provide the best quality.
The Day of Your Appointment
Using a desktop or laptop computer
If you plan to use a desktop or laptop, there is nothing to download prior to your appointment. Here are the steps to join:
About 10 minutes before your appointment, you'll receive an email appointment reminder with the link to join your call. Please note that the link to join the Telehealth call will only be in your email reminder and not in your text reminder. If you're set up to receive text reminders, the exact time you receive your text reminder may vary based on your cell phone carrier.
Note: If you have already consented to receiving text and/or email reminders, you will continue to receive them for telehealth appointments as well. If you're a new client, make sure that you've provided your email and or mobile phone number so that your provider can enable email or text appointment reminders for you. You can also sign up for email and text reminders through your Client Portal.
Click the unique video link embedded in the email reminder. You may have to copy and paste the link into your web browser if clicking the link does not work.
Your video call screen will now open in a new tab.
If your provider has already joined the call, you will see their face on the screen. If you are the first to join the call, you will see yourself.
You will also see the “Welcome” prompt. When you are ready, type your name where it says Enter your name to join, and click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.
Using a smartphone or tablet
If you plan to use your smartphone, here are the steps to join:
Download Telehealth by SimplePractice (for iOS or Android) in the app store.
About 10-15 minutes before your appointment, you should receive an email appointment reminder with a secure video link.
Open the reminder email on your device and click the unique link. This will open the Telehealth by SimplePractice app. If you don't have the app downloaded, you will be prompted to download it on your tablet or mobile device.
If your provider has already joined the call, you will see their face on the screen. If you are the first to join the call, you will see yourself.
When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.
Tips for Success
There may be a slight delay for your provider to join the appointment if they are finishing with a previous appointment. Please be patient, and your provider will join momentarily.
We recommend joining the telehealth appointment a few minutes early to test your settings.
To prevent background noise, we recommend using headphones.
If you can connect to the Internet, but are having trouble joining the video appointment, we recommend testing your internet connection or web browser.
If you need to reschedule or have questions about the telehealth appointment, please contact your provider directly.
Telehealth FAQ
What should I do if I didn’t get the email reminder with the video link?
Contact your provider by email if you did not receive the appointment reminder email and video link. Your provider can resend the link through email.
How should I prepare my space for a telehealth appointment?
Identify a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions. To keep background noise to a minimum, make sure to close any doors, shut windows, turn off the television, and keep loud pets in another room if possible. Consider hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door to avoid interruptions. We recommend using headphones as this helps with background noise.
Will telehealth appointments be recorded?
None of your appointments will ever be recorded or stored without your written consent.
Additional Information
For additional information related to telehealth, including the risks and benefits of telehealth, clients can refer to your Consent for Telehealth Sessions located in your Client Portal and/or contact your provider directly.
Here at Atlanta Wellness Collective, we want to help. For support, contact us or request a telehealth appointment online.
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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