8 steps to prepare for your telehealth appointment

A telehealth appointment saves you the trip, but it needs its own preparation. If the connection drops, the camera won't turn on or you can't remember what you wanted to ask, the already short appointment slips away fast. In this post you'll find an 8-point checklist that helps before, during and after your video appointment.

When is a telehealth appointment useful?

Telehealth means getting health care remotely, by video, phone or online. It can be practical for follow-up appointments, talking through test results, reviewing your medicines or describing a symptom for the first time. Still, your doctor or health service decides which situations are suitable for a remote appointment.

In a telehealth appointment, your doctor can't examine you physically. That makes what you tell them and the information you prepare in advance more important than ever. If you're having an emergency such as severe pain, trouble breathing or confusion, don't wait for the online appointment: call your country's emergency number.

Tech prep before the appointment

Technical problems are the most common reason video appointments get interrupted. A few minutes of checking the day before can save the first minutes of your appointment.

• Find out the link and the app. Ask which app or link the appointment will use; if needed, install the app in advance and try signing in.
• Test your camera and microphone. The NHS in England also recommends making sure your camera and microphone are on and your internet connection works before the appointment.
• Charge your device. Keep your phone or computer charged, and close apps you don't need during the appointment.
• Have a backup plan. Ask how they'll reach you if the video drops, and make sure the phone number on your record is up to date.

If you'll be on the call with someone close to you, for example when supporting an older parent, agree beforehand on who will talk and who will take notes. Two people talking at once wastes time in a short appointment. If you're connecting from a shared computer, remember to sign out afterwards and check any documents you downloaded.

If the appointment is by phone only, the preparation stays the same: a quiet room, a charged phone and your notes within reach. Without video, your doctor relies only on what you tell them, so describing your symptoms in order and in clear sentences matters even more. If it helps, turn on the speaker so your hands are free to take notes.

Your 8-point prep checklist

Once the tech side is ready, it's time for the content. Going through this list the day before the appointment is enough.

1. Write the purpose of the appointment in one sentence. Something like "a headache that has lasted two weeks" or "going over my test results". If the appointment starts with this sentence, the time goes where it should.
2. Note your symptoms in time order. When did it start, how often does it happen, when does it get worse or better? Short notes are enough; if you measured something like a fever, add the day and time you measured it.
3. Prepare your medication list. Write down your medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements, with their names and how often you take them. Keeping the boxes nearby helps too; if your doctor asks for a medicine's name, you can read it off the box.
4. Keep your readings at hand. If you have records such as blood pressure, temperature or blood sugar values you measured at home, have them ready with their dates.
5. Gather your documents in one place. Recent test results, earlier reports or documents your doctor asked for shouldn't need hunting down during the appointment.
6. Put your questions in order of importance. Write the three most important questions at the top. If time runs short, at least you'll have asked those.
7. Choose a quiet, well-lit spot. Find a room where you can talk comfortably, the light falls on your face and no one will interrupt you. The NHS also recommends a quiet, private, well-lit space.
8. Be ready to take notes. Keep a pen and paper handy or a note open on your phone. Remembering what was said afterwards is harder than you think.

Most of the notes you prepare for in-person appointments apply here too; 7 notes to take to your doctor's appointment completes this list.

During and after the appointment

When the appointment starts, say your purpose first, then describe your symptoms in order. If you might be asked to show something on camera, such as a rash, thinking about the light and angle in advance makes it easier.

• Always ask again about any term or instruction you don't understand.
• Carefully note what's said about your medicines, especially if there's a new medicine or a change; if anything is still unclear, ask your doctor or pharmacist again.
• Make the next step clear: is there a check-up date, a test or a follow-up appointment?
• Tidy up your notes within a few minutes of the appointment ending.

If a new question comes to mind after the appointment, don't blame yourself; this happens a lot. Write the question down right away and send it the way your health service recommends, for example by message or at a new appointment. If your doctor started a new medicine or changed one you already take, it's a good habit to have a quick word with your pharmacist when you pick it up.

We explain how to organize your notes afterwards in 5 steps to organize your notes after a doctor's appointment.

Preparing for a telehealth appointment in Oveluni

In Oveluni, use Add appointment in the Quick Add menu to save the date and time of your telehealth appointment and set a reminder; the appointment shows up in Calendar alongside your medicines and other entries. You can write down your questions and symptoms in advance with A note.

Before the appointment, you can use the PDF report to gather your medication use and daily observations from the last 7, 30 or 90 days into a single file, and share it if your doctor asks. Your notes aren't included in the report by default; if you want them, turn on Include notes. We walk through creating the report step by step in the Oveluni PDF report guide. Oveluni is coming soon to the App Store.

Sources

1. NHS: GP video consultations
2. MedlinePlus: Telehealth