Telehealth Virtual Visits
Also known as Virtual Care
Telehealth Services From the Comfort of Your Home
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is committed to providing safe, quality, convenient care — anywhere you are. The majority of our clinical departments offer virtual visits — which are online doctor video visits — for appointments and evaluations. Your primary care provider will need to make a referral for you to see a specialist.
When scheduling the visit, the provider will determine if a telehealth visit is appropriate. If you’re not sure whether your BIDMC health care provider offers telehealth visits, please call their office directly to find out.
Understanding Virtual Visits
Virtual visits allow you to easily meet with your doctor through video to receive care via smart phone, tablet or computer. You can access your virtual visit through any Apple or Android mobile device — such as a tablet or smartphone — as well as any camera-enabled desktop or laptop.
You can see your provider — and they can see you — from the comfort of your own home or workplace. This service is easy to use, private and secure, and it complies with federal privacy laws. You can use the service from anywhere in Massachusetts during regular office hours. We will bill your insurance provider for your virtual visit.
Conditions We Treat
A telehealth visit can be a fast and convenient option for a variety of common conditions:
- Allergies
- Arthritic pain
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Colds, flu and COVID-19
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Infections
- Minor cuts, rashes and skin conditions
- Minor sprains, strains and sports injuries
- Pharyngitis (sore throat)
- Respiratory infections
- Sinusitis
- Urinary tract infections
- Vomiting or digestive problems
In some cases, your doctor may not be able to diagnose your condition over the virtual visit and will recommend an in-person appointment. The doctor will refer you to a specially arranged urgent visit to a primary care site, an emergency department or an urgent care location.
BIDMC also offers a wide range of virtual and in-person classes and support groups.
More About Telehealth Virtual Visits
We offer virtual visits through our patient portal. If you don’t have an account, we encourage you to sign up. Having an account offers many benefits:
- View test results
- Request prescription refills
- Schedule appointments and virtual visits
- Communicate with your medical care team
If you have an upcoming video visit, you will need to complete preregistration. You’ll receive a notice seven days before your appointment with further instructions. On the day of your visit, you should receive details on how to join your visit.
To make the most of your virtual visit, have the following information ready:
- Details on what you’d like to discuss
- Medications you take, including vitamins and over-the-counter medicines and if you need any prescription refills
- Any health symptoms you have
- Any changes in your health since your last visit
- Your medical history
- Any blood pressure readings you tracked at home from a blood pressure monitor, or other data you gathered from your smartwatch, smartphone or a fitness tracking device
- The name and phone number of your pharmacy
Here are other tips:
- Have your computer, tablet or phone fully charged or plugged in
- Connect to WiFi and ensure that you have a strong internet connection
- Log in for your appointment 10 minutes early
- Ensure your web browser is up to date
- Locate a quiet, private place where you can talk, away from distractions
- Have a pen and paper, or separate device, ready to take notes
You’ll get an email or text link with an appointment confirmation and a link to start your visit. Simply click the link a few minutes prior to your appointment time to get started.
After clicking the email or text link to enter our virtual visit application, you will connect to a video appointment with your doctor. Your provider will take these steps:
- Review your medical information
- Diagnose and provide care for your medical condition
- Address your concerns
Just like with an in-person visit, your provider will make notes from your virtual visit in your electronic medical record. All of your authorized providers have access to these records the same way as for an in-person visit.
Prescribing Medications During Your Virtual Visit
If necessary, the doctor will prescribe medication and submit prescriptions to your preferred pharmacy. By law, doctors cannot prescribe narcotics or opiates via telehealth visits. Also, doctors cannot prescribe muscle relaxers or erectile dysfunction medications during virtual visits.
We offer primary care virtual visits, allowing you a convenient option and saving you time from missing work or other demands on your time. It can prevent you from traveling to the doctor’s office with a sick child, as well.
Primary Care for Existing Patients
If you’re an existing patient of BIDMC’s Healthcare Associates (HCA) or a Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care practice, please contact your doctor’s office directly. You can call or message them through our patient portal to learn what telehealth services are available.
Primary Care for New Patients
For non-urgent needs, many practices are accepting new patients and offer telehealth as an option. Please call the doctor’s office directly to see if you can make a new patient appointment.
If you have an existing relationship with a specialist, please reach out to their office directly to find an approach for connecting that works best for you. If you aren’t an established patient and would like to see a specialist, work with your primary care doctor.
We offer these and other specialty, virtual care options:
Services
We offer a wide range of healthcare and specialty services, including emergency and urgent care.
