Healthwatch have put together some tips on how to get the most out of the virtual health and care appointments (i.e. phone appointments, digital consultations/video appointments using Zoom, Facetime, Skype etc) that have become such an important tool for GPs and other medical practitioners during the Coronavirus outbreak.
- Ask for a timeslot for when your remote consultation will take place.
- Let your health care provider know how you prefer to talk by phone, video or in-person.
- Find somewhere quiet and confidential and, if this isn’t possible or is tricky, make this clear when you are making your appointment.
- Start with a phone call if you’re not confident with video technology.
- Ask for help if you need it and, if possible, do a practice run with a friend.
- Take some time to prepare in advance, consider what you want to say and key questions you would like to ask.
- Ask your health care provider to summarise the next steps at the end of the appointment.
- Remote consultations can be useful for routine appointments or ongoing care with a health care practitioner.
- Not all appointments are suitable for remote consultations, if you would like to see someone in-person please say so.
