Why Telehealth?
Having access to your medical care team is easier than ever with our telehealth services. Patients and providers can communicate through an online video visit or over the phone, letting each patient connect with their health-care team from home. Telehealth is available for most types of medical visits and behavioral health visits. Billing and scheduling for telehealth visits works exactly the same as for in-person appointments.
Benefits: Reducing Exposure and More
Our health care team is committed to providing you with the same high quality care during virtual visits as in-person visits. In addition to reducing your chances of being exposed to Covid19, phone or video visits have other benefits:
- Ability to address health issues without leaving your home or workplace
- No need to commute, travel in bad weather, take as much time off from work, or arrange child care
- Often able to see a doctor more quickly, sometimes same-day
How to Book a Telehealth Appointment
Scheduling appointments works the same for our telehealth services for as a face-to-face appointment. Our staff will help you get set up with a time to connect with your provider. Make sure to let us know when you are scheduling that you prefer a telehealth visit. Our staff will then send you info on how to connect with your provider by phone or video. (Feel free to request a phone visit if video doesn’t work for you.)
Getting Started with Your Telehealth Visit
Your provider will start your phone or video appointment as close to your scheduled time as possible, but if you can please try to be ready to start your visit anytime between 15 minutes before your scheduled time to 15 minutes after. Your provider appreciates your patience and flexibility.
If your appointment is for a video visit, you will need a camera, microphone, and a strong WiFi connection or an ethernet cable. For most of our video visits, a Chrome or Firefox browser is needed.
For phone visits or for video visits using a platform other than Doxy, use the instructions given to you at the time you scheduled your appointment.
For visits on the Doxy platform, please see the instructions below.
Check In for a Medical Telehealth Visit
If you have a telehealth (video) visit scheduled with a provider at Families First or Goodwin Community Health and have been told it will be through the Doxy platform, pleas follow these steps:
1. Read the Terms of Service agreement below.
2. Click the “Agree and Check In” button for your practice.
3. You will then be taken to the check-in page where you can choose the name of the provider you will be seeing and enter the virtual waiting room.
Notice to Patients and Consent to Telehealth Services Treatment Agreement
- Telehealth involves the use of an encrypted video application (or via telephone during the COVID19 state of emergency) to communicate with my medical provider, dentist or behavioral health therapist.
- Telehealth visits, teledental visits and behavioral health therapy sessions will be done over a HIPAA-compliant audio/video platform (or via telephone during the COVID19 state of emergency). Information and notes from these visits will be stored in the same way as face-face visits or sessions. All patient policies and procedures of Greater Seacoast Community Health continue to apply.
- My insurance will be billed as it is during face-to-face visits or sessions. Any copayments associated with my insurance will be billed to me by mail. If my insurance is found to be inactive I am fully financially responsible for the expenses of the visit or session.
- I have the right to withhold or withdraw consent at any time without impacting my right to future treatment or risking the loss or withdrawal of any Greater Seacoast Community Health services to which I would otherwise be entitled.
- No personally identifiable images or information from the telehealth visit will be disseminated without my written consent.
- The laws that protect the confidentiality of my medical information in face-face visits or sessions also apply to telehealth visits. I understand that the information disclosed by me during the course of my visit or therapy session is generally confidential. However, the mandatory reporting exceptions to confidentiality that apply in face-to-face sessions also apply to telehealth.
- If during a telehealth visit, my medical or dental provider or therapist suspects that I am at imminent risk for harming myself or others, my provider or therapist is required by law to contact the authorities to ensure safety for myself and others.
- It is my responsibility to insure the confidentiality of my visit or session in the environment in which I participate. I further understand that my provider may also elect to reschedule the visit or session.
- I understand that there are both risks and benefits associated with telehealth. Benefits may include increased access for those who may be challenged by geographic location, transportation, and/or other barriers. Risks related to telehealth visits include certain limits to confidentiality in electronic communication. These risks include, but are not limited to: a) the possibility — despite reasonable efforts on the part of my medical provider, dentist or behavioral health therapist — that the video (or telephone) interaction between me and my provider could be interrupted due to technical failures or faulty Internet connection; and b) the potential for confidentiality breaches due to technical failures. These risks will be offset with the use of Greater Seacoast Community Health’s chosen communications platforms. Furthermore, when using the video platform, the contents of my medical, dental or behavioral health care provider’s computer are encrypted to further ensure my privacy and confidentiality
- The following additional information applies to tele-Behavioral Health visits: a) Tele-behavioral health sessions will follow the same format, timeframes and structure as face-to-face sessions; and b) Though I understand that I may benefit from tele-Behavioral Health therapy, I also understand that results cannot be guaranteed or assured.
Acknowledgment and Acceptance
On the following screen, you will be asked to check a box indicating that you agree to the Terms of Service as explained above. Please click the button below when you are ready to check in for your appointment.
