Important: If you are working with more than one clinic/location, it is important you select the correct clinic from the drop-down menu under 'Select Clinic'. If you only work with one clinic you will not see this dropdown.
The 'Consultations' Tab
Step 1 - From the left navigation bar, click 'Consultations', then 'Active and Pending'.
Step 2 - Under the filter that allows users to view appointments happening today, or those that were scheduled for the past or both, choose 'Today'.
For more details on this screen, see article: Manage The 'Active and Pending' Screen
Step 3 - To view or enter the consultation, click 'Enter Consultation'.
At this point, you are only viewing this consultation. The patient will not realize you are there nor can you yet message the patient. This gives you the opportunity to review the consult info, back out and return to 'Step 4' when ready to start the consultation with the patient.
Step 4 - To start the consultation with your patient, click 'Enter Consultation' at the top of the chat area.
For more information on this screen, see article - Patient Consultation Screen Quick Guide.
Step 5 - You may chat with the patient via the 'Message' box (perhaps introducing yourself, confirming that the patient is in a private and quiet setting and asking for their permission to proceed with the video).
To see the patient via video, click ‘Video Chat’ at the top of the chat area.
Step 6 - 'Start Video Chat' screen - note the following features:
- Camera/microphone permissions - Check
to enable your microphone, camera and remember your preferences (optional) for this video session.
- Video Chats Per Consultation - you can start as many video sessions during the active consultation as necessary, adding and preventing participants as desired.
- 'Prevent Other Consultation Participants From Joining' - you may prevent/allow certain participants from joining the video by checking/unchecking this box and checking/unchecking their name. Checking this box will also prevent anyone who was sent the video URL information from joining the video. See the examples below, where a Clinic Admin has been invited into this consultation.
| 'Prevent Other Consultation Participants From Joining' is UNCHECKED. | 'Prevent Other Consultation Participants From Joining' is CHECKED. |
|
|
When ready, click 'Start Video Chat'. You will be taken directly into the video.
Step 7 - If prompted to 'Allow' your camera and microphone on your browser for this website. You must 'Allow/Enable', otherwise your device camera or microphone will be blocked. Note: after allowing here, you may still turn your camera and/or microphone off within the video, if necessary.
Once your patient enables their video and audio and click 'Join Video Chat', they will arrive in the video.
Step 8 - If other guests, besides the patient, have been invited, you will be prompted to allow or deny them access. Check with your patient before declining someone, as your patient may have invited a family member or caregiver.
Anyone you decline will receive the following message.
See article - End the Video Call Within a Patient Consultation
The 'Schedule' Tab
Step 1 - From the left navigation bar, click 'Schedule'
Step 2 - The schedule defaults to the 'Week' view, however you can switch to 'Day' view, if preferred.
Step 3 - Find and click on the scheduled patient consultation that you would like to enter. From here choose the '
' or ' Enter'. This will take you into the consultation.
Week View:
Day View:
Step 4 - Continue with 'Step 4' above.
Other Features
Phone Call:
- Useful when a patient may be having technical difficulty getting the video to work or their bandwidth is poor.
- A record of the phone consult is stored and attached to the patient's record.
- The phone call is between two persons only, the host and the patient and has no video.
- The phone call uses an actual phone line, not voice-over Internet (VoIP), so works when internet bandwidth is poor.
- The healthcare provider's phone number is always kept hidden.
Step 1 - Click ‘Phone Call’ at the top of the chat area.
Step 2 - The patient's phone number will automatically generate from the information they entered into their account profile. If no number comes up, you can type their number in. Type in your landline or cell number (your number remains hidden from the patient), then click 'Start Phone Call'.
The system will call you first. After you answer, it will automatically call your patient/participant.
'Alert Patient'
- With virtual consultations, distractions can happen that can prevent a patient from arriving on time for their appointment. They may even indicate they are ready, then are absent when you arrive, or they could go silent during the consultation.
- This feature allows healthcare providers or their clinic administrator to send a quick message to the patient. The alert message gets pushed via SMS text or a chat message within the consultation itself.
- If the patient has the SK Virtual Visit app installed and has 'notifications' enabled for the app, they will also hear an alert.
Step 1 - From within the consultation, click the red 'Alert Patient' button.
Step 2 - Enter a brief, generic message to alert the patient, remembering not to use personal information (no names or health issue) to ensure privacy. i.e. "Your appointment has started. Please join right away."
Step 3 - Check :
- 'Push Notifications' (sends alert message to consultation chat.
- 'Sms' (sends alert text to patient's cell phone).
Step 4 - Click 'Alert Patient'.
Your patient will receive the alert message.
Archive Patient Consultations -
See article - Complete and Archive a Consultation