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Start a Telehealth Session

Note: If you would like to enable the feature, have your Practice Administrator click the User Icon Settings Telehealth and select the Enable telehealth checkbox.

Role Required: Clinician or Intern

With TherapyNotes Telehealth, you can meet clients where they are using reliable, HIPAA-compliant video technology. Any device with a camera, microphone, compatible web browser, and Internet access is suitable for a telehealth session.

Telehealth sessions can be started by any clinical user who has an appointment with a patient with a portal account. In order to start a telehealth session for an appointment:

  • The Type must not be Group Therapy, Scheduled Event, or Vacation or Blackout Period.
  • The Patient on the appointment must have a client portal account.
  • The Use TherapyNotes Telehealth checkbox must be selected on the appointment.
  • The appointment has not been marked as Missed or Cancelled.

As long as the appointment meets the above criteria, the Clinician on the appointment can start a telehealth session beginning 5 hours prior to the Scheduled Time until 5 hours after the Scheduled Time. So, for an appointment scheduled at 5:00PM, the Clinician may start the telehealth session between 12:00PM and 10:00PM.


Note: The appointment must be saved with information that meets the above criteria in order to be eligible for a telehealth session. Changing the Scheduled Time, for example, in the appointment dialog without saving your changes will not affect your ability to start a telehealth session for that appointment.

To start a telehealth session:

  • Click Scheduling

  • Click on the desired appointment on the calendar.

    startatelehealthsession.png

  • If the appointment is eligible for telehealth, a banner will be displayed at the top of the appointment dialog. Click the Start Telehealth Session button.
  • Your browser will prompt you to share access to your camera and microphone. Click Allow.
Tip: Most browsers will offer an option to always allow camera and microphone access. Selecting this option will prevent your browser from needing to request access each time you start a telehealth session. For browser-specific instructions, read Allow Camera and Microphone Access for Telehealth.
  • In the Select Your Camera and Microphone dialog that appears, select the Camera and Microphone you want to use for your session. You should see a preview of your video and an audio meter that responds to your voice.
Tip: If no camera or microphone is detected, first verify that the device is connected to your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Next, repeat the above steps, making sure to click Allow when your browser requests access to your camera and microphone. Read Connecting a Camera and Microphone for Telehealth for additional guidance.
  • Click the I'm Ready button.

When your patient is ready to join the session, you'll see a notification in the middle of your screen, and most browsers will play a sound. Simply click the Start Session button when you're all set, and you'll be connected with your patient!

Note: By default, Safari will not play a sound when your patient is ready to join the session. To enable auto-play in Safari, go to TherapyNotes, then open the Safari menu Settings Websites. In the left sidebar, click Auto-Play. For therapynotes.com, select Allow All Auto-Play.

Once in a telehealth session, a small preview of your video will appear, and your patient's video will appear larger in the middle of the browser. Here's what you can do in your session:

  • Reposition your video preview by clicking and dragging with your mouse, tapping and dragging with your finger on a touch device, or using keyboard controls by pressing Tab to focus on the video preview.
  • Hide your preview by hovering over, tapping, or focusing on your video preview and selecting the eye icon that appears.
  • Temporarily disable your camera or mute your microphone.
  • Share your screen.
  • End the session.

Ending the session will remove both you and your patient from the video call. If you or your patient end the session by mistake, you may rejoin the session. To rejoin a session, click the Rejoin Session button in the Your Telehealth Session Has Ended dialog that appears when a session ends. Both you and your patient must select the option to rejoin in order to reconnect in the telehealth session.

If you experience connection issues during your session, please refer to Troubleshooting Telehealth Connection Issues.