Helping your patient prepare for video conferencing consultations

What does your patient need to begin video conferencing consultations from their own home?

Zoom does not require your patient to sign up for an account to be able to join in on the consultations. They just need to have downloaded Zoom software (for free) on to the device they will use for their consultations. You should assist the patient to do this by providing information about how to download the software in advance of their appointment. We have provided detailed patient instructions for downloading zoom in the green “Preparing for your consultations” booklet (see the Resources section), which you may wish to provide to your patient prior to their first video conferencing consultation. Alternatively, you may wish to prepare your own instruction sheets!

As soon as you have booked your patient, we recommend that you provide the following information via email:

• Time & date of consultation
• Physiotherapist details
• A link to download Zoom
• Your Zoom Personal Meeting ID
• And a URL/link to your personal Zoom meeting room ID (to access the consultation directly in case an individual is struggling with Zoom at the time of the appointment)

You should emphasise that patients attempt to download Zoom prior to the date of their consultation.

Sample email:

Hello John,

This email will outline all of the details for your telehealth consultation.

Your consultation has been booked for the following date:

Consultation 1 – Monday 23rd March at 2:15pm (45min)

Your physiotherapist’s name is [PHYSIO NAME]. Their contact number is (XX) XXXX XXXX.

Please find attached an important booklet called ‘Preparing for your consultations’, [ATTACH THIS] which tells you how to download the Zoom software that is needed for the video conferencing consultations to occur. You can download the free Zoom program by clicking on the following link: https://zoom.us/support/download.

It is important that you download Zoom prior to your first consultation.

At the time of your consultation, just click this link to joint the online waiting room for your physiotherapy appointment [ZOOM Meeting Room ID Link/URL]. Alternatively, you can also select “join meeting” and enter your physiotherapist’s ’meeting ID’: XXX-XXX-XXXX [ZOOM PERSONAL MEETING ID]

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact XXXX XXX

Kind regards, XXXX XXX