BEFORE YOUR TELE-HEALTH VISIT PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS AND PREPARE IN ADVANCE

IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE OFFICE BEFORE, PLEASE COMPLETE AND PRINT THIS SHORT FORM.

NEW PATIENTS: PLEASE COMPLETE THIS DETAILED FORM.

  TOOLS FOR THE VISIT

(Blood pressure cuff, scale, tissue, Q-tip, toothpick, pen, rubber band, penlight/flashlight, hand weight or soup can or milk carton)

  • Bring your blood pressure machine and a scale (if you have them), a tissue and/or Q-tip, toothpick, pen, and rubber band

  • Have a flashlight or penlight available in case I need to look at part of you (skin, throat, eyes, etc.) in better detail up close.

  •  If you have a hand weight, bring it or if not, a can of soup, etc, or a milk carton

  •  If possible do not hold the phone or tablet with your hands. Hand-holding the device will make the video very shaky. If you do not have a stand for your device, lean the device against a heavy object (i.e. a can of soup) and angle the device so it has a good view of you.

  • Do not place the device in a location where it is likely to fall.

  •  If anyone in addition to you, the patient, is helping with the examination or speaking to me, they should be within the view of the camera. To accomplish this the camera may need to be placed further than an arm’s length away from you and the other person who needs to be on screen.

  • Please wear shorts and a T-shirt.

FOR BEST VIDEO AND AUDIO

  • When possible pick a location for your tele-health session that is close to your WiFi router so that you get the strongest signal possible. (If possible, sit on a chair next to a table or on a bed next to a table.)

  •  Turn off all other unnecessary electronic devices that wirelessly connect to your WiFi network so you get a strong signal.

  •  If you don’t have WiFi at your location and are using a cellular network, go to a room that gives you the most bars for the strongest wireless signal. Standing near a window can help.

  •  Turn the volume on your device up before the tele-health session begins so that you can hear me well.

 FOR BEST LIGHTING

  • During the session avoid, when possible, having a window directly behind you. A bright light behind you will make it hard for the provider to see you clearly on the screen.

  •  During the tele-health session try to sit in a spot with a window in front of you or at your side. If a window isn’t available, a lamp or overhead lights can also be used to give you better light.

  Adapted from Vail Fucci, Ph.D.
Bio: Vail Fucci has a Ph.D. in Bioethics from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine