How to Prepare for an Online Clinician Visit

Build a concise health record

Treat an online visit with the same preparation you would bring to an in-person appointment. Have the names of current medicines and supplements available, along with allergies, relevant conditions, recent changes in symptoms, and any prior treatment you have tried.

Accuracy matters more than length. If you do not know a detail, say that rather than estimating. A clinician may ask follow-up questions or request information that is not available in the first submission.

• Current prescription and nonprescription medicines
• Vitamins, supplements, and known allergies
• Relevant diagnoses, procedures, and recent measurements
• The main question you want the visit to answer

Prepare the setting and technology

HHS advises patients to prepare a private, well-lit location and test the technology before a telehealth appointment. Keep the device charged and make sure audio and video permissions work if the visit uses a live call.

Know what to do if the connection fails. The care partner should provide its own support or reconnection instructions.

Use the visit to clarify the decision

An online request is not an automatic prescription. Ask what information the clinician is using, whether anything else is needed, and what the next step will be. Medications and treatments are subject to a valid prescription issued by a licensed healthcare provider.

Write down the clinician's instructions and ask where official medication information will be available if treatment is prescribed.

Know the follow-up path

After the visit, review the instructions and use the care partner's messaging or support channel for questions. HHS notes that patients can contact the provider's office when they need clarification after a telehealth appointment.

Seek urgent help through emergency services rather than a routine telehealth message when symptoms may be an emergency.