Top Tips for Successful Telehealth Visits

We’re Zoom-ing school, Skype-ing meetings, and FaceTime-ing relatives. These days, you can do just about anything from the comfort of your home—and that includes a visit with a healthcare provider. Telehealth appointments offer convenience for parents and kids alike. But before you hop into a video visit with your child’s health care provider, we’ve got some advice to help make it easy.

Here are some tips to make your telehealth visit go smoothly:

Be Prepared. 

Before your child’s appointment, take a couple minutes to download the app or other technology you’ll need for the visit. It is important to also read any patient instructions you received from your healthcare provider.

Grab a pen and paper.

Just like an in-person appointment, a telehealth appointment can move quickly and give you a lot of information. Make sure that you write down any questions or concerns you have for your healthcare provider before the appointment so that you don’t forget them when the time comes. Plus, it’s good to have the pen and paper on hand during the appointment in case you need to jot down any instructions.

Find a good location.

Select a private, quiet location for your child’s telehealth appointment. Make sure it has good lighting (don’t sit in front of a window) and a Wi-Fi connection. Often, the bathroom is a great place for a telehealth visit because it’s private, quiet and has good lighting. Once you find your location, connect to your Wi-Fi and allow any requests to access your camera and microphone on your phone or computer. Make sure to check your internet, audio and video connection before you start.  We cannot see patients inside a moving vehicle due to safety concerns.

Your child must be with you.

You wouldn’t go to the pediatrician without your child, and you can’t do a virtual visit without them either. Your child must be present during your visit and not in another location.

Think about your child’s seat.

If you have a small child, consider using your child carrier or highchair for your child during the appointment. Or, consider having another adult present to hold your child while you speak with your medical provider.

Sign up for MyChart.

If your provider uses MyChart, signing up before your visit makes communication after your visit even easier.

During your telehealth visit, make sure to check your notes and ask the provider all of your questions. Write down the next steps—especially if there is additional testing or follow-up needed. Before your visit ends, ask the provider how you will receive a summary of the visit.

If you’ve never tried a telehealth visit, there’s never been a better time. Most subspecialty clinics at Cincinnati Children’s and across healthcare, are now using video visits to connect with patients. Your child can even get 24/7 virtual urgent care through CincyKids Health Connect  when you need a quick answer. Always try your pediatrician first, because they know your child best, but if your pediatrician is not be available this is a great option.