A Quick Start Guide to Telehealth During COVID-19

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, telehealth has become a safe method of delivering quality healthcare to the public. Social and physical distancing is effective in minimizing the transmission of the coronavirus and telehealth could be an essential tool in protecting our health care workforce. In addition, telehealth would limit the person-to-person contact that occurs in clinics and waiting rooms thus protecting non-COVID-19 patients who require care.

While there are other methods of telehealth available, the simple real-time, web-based video communication outlined in this guide is suitable for communicating and interacting with patients without having to meet face to face. In usual circumstances, telehealth would require a thoughtful and deliberate planning and implementation process. With the current events of COVID-19, however, providers are increasingly looking for ways to fast track telehealth services to meet the needs of their patients while following the guidelines presented by the CDC.

This Quick Start Guide provides health care providers with simple steps and considerations for conducting Real- Time Video Teleconferencing with patients in light of the current COVID-19 public health emergency.