Key points
- ✓ Test your connection, camera, microphone, and official appointment link in advance.
- ✓ Keep your identification, medicine list, recent tests, and main questions nearby.
- ✓ Telemedicine does not replace in-person assessment or emergency care when either is needed.
Prepare your space and device
- Choose a quiet, well-lit, private place where you can speak and listen without interruptions.
- Charge your phone, tablet, or computer, check your internet connection, and test the camera and microphone before the appointment.
- Join only through the official link or channel provided for the visit, and do not share it with other people.
- Place the device on a stable surface; do not attend the appointment while driving or doing anything that needs your attention.
Organize the medical information you need
- Prepare an up-to-date list of medicines and supplements, including doses and schedules, together with known allergies.
- Have reports, laboratory results, blood pressure or glucose records, and other tests related to the reason for your visit available.
- Write down when symptoms began, how they have changed, and your most important questions so you can use the time well.
- For a child, older adult, or anyone who needs support, arrange for an authorized caregiver to be present when appropriate.
During the virtual appointment
- Confirm your identity and explain the main concern clearly; answer clinical questions without leaving out important changes.
- Show a skin change, movement, or device only when the clinician asks and while protecting your privacy.
- Take home measurements only when you have a reliable device and know how to use it; explain how and when each value was obtained.
- Before the visit ends, confirm the instructions, warning signs, follow-up plan, and whether an in-person assessment is needed.
When in-person care is needed
- Some problems need a physical examination, listening with a stethoscope, palpation, a procedure, or tests that cannot be completed by video.
- The clinician may recommend an in-person visit when the available information or connection quality does not allow a safe assessment.
- If a serious symptom or rapid deterioration occurs, do not wait for a telemedicine appointment or a reply through messaging.
- Telemedicine is useful for many follow-ups and forms of guidance, but the appropriate type of care depends on each clinical situation.
Warning signs and when to seek care
- Severe or pressure-like chest pain, especially with cold sweats, nausea, or pain spreading elsewhere
- Severe breathing difficulty, bluish lips, or inability to speak normally
- Weakness on one side, facial drooping, difficulty speaking, or sudden confusion
- Fainting, seizures, major bleeding, or rapid deterioration
- Any situation that appears to be an emergency or makes safe participation in the appointment impossible
What not to do
- Do not use a telemedicine appointment to delay emergency care.
- Do not connect while driving or from a place without privacy when this can be avoided.
- Do not record or share the appointment without permission from everyone involved.
- Do not send sensitive information through unofficial channels or change medicines on your own.
Medical references
Telehealth.HHS.gov — How to prepare for a virtual appointment MedlinePlus — Telehealth MedlinePlus — Talking with your doctorIf you have symptoms, risk factors, or questions about your situation, arrange a professional medical assessment.
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