Telehealth Information for Patients and Carers
Telehealth Appointments
Some of the clinical services we provide at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District can be provided virtually with the use of telehealth technology. Your doctor, nurse or allied health professional (care provider) will confirm whether your appointment can be delivered virtually.
If an appointment is to be delivered via telehealth, you will be sent the details of the time, and what you will need to have with you during the appointment. If the appointment will be via a phone call, they will let you know the time they will call you. If the appointment will be via a video call, a link to the audiovisual platform will be provided. This will be either myVirtualCare or Pexip, and user guides for these can be found at the bottom of this page.
Preparing for your appointment
If you have a device that is capable of video calls, check that you have:
- a private, well-lit area where you will not be disturbed
- a device connected to the internet with a camera (webcam), speaker and microphone (these features are internal to most laptop and mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets)
- a good internet connection (at least 0.4Mbps for download and upload – see www.speedtest.net).
- any documents that your care team has asked you to have with you at the time of the appointment
- a list of any questions that you've already thought of that you would like to ask your care provider during your appointment
There are no additional fees for using telehealth, except for your internet or phone usage. A 15 minute consultation uses approximately 130 megabytes (Mb) of your data download.
Attending the appointment
Your telehealth appointment will happen exactly as it would in person. The platform is secure and your privacy is protected. You can attend virtually using:
- a desktop or laptop computer (PC or Mac) using Google Chrome
- a device such as smartphone (mobile) or tablet. Apple and Android devices are suitable.
Please be aware that wherever possible it is recommended that you use a computer or laptop as this will provide a better user experience, however tablets and mobile phones can also be used.
If you would like a family member or support person to attend with you and they are not located with you, you can provide them with the link that your care provider has given you and they will also be able to connect to the appointment.
Important information
- You may choose not to participate in a telehealth consultation
- There should be no additional cost to you other than your usual consultation fees
- You can choose if a family member attends the appointment with you
- If you are uncomfortable you can ask to finish the consultation
- A follow up appointment will be made if required
- Feel free to ask any questions you have both before, during and after the consultation
User Guides
If your appointment link starts with myvirtualcare.health.... this user guide provides more info about accessing your appointment.
If your appointment link starts with conference.meet.health... this user guide provides more info about accessing your appointment.