Your telehealth visit, end to end
How a video visit works in your browser — checking your camera and mic, joining the room, what every button does, and what to do when something goes wrong.
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Your visit, in your browser
No app to install. No invite codes. Open the link in your phone or laptop and you are face to face with your provider.
A telehealth visit is just a web page. There is nothing to install, no Zoom invite, no plug-in. This article walks you through what to do five minutes before, what the visit room looks like once you are in it, and what to do when the WiFi blips. It works on a laptop, a tablet, or your phone.
How a telehealth visit works
When you book a virtual visit you get a confirmation email with a Join visit link, plus a reminder text and email two hours and ten minutes before the appointment. You do not need a special invite code or password — the link is unique to you and only works for this one visit. Open the link in Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox on any device with a camera and microphone.
Five minutes before — check your camera and microphone
There is no separate device test in the portal — your camera and microphone are checked on the video screen itself. When you open your visit, the video starts on a preview: you see your own picture there and can turn your camera and microphone on or off before you join. Open your visit a few minutes early so there is time to fix a blocked microphone or move to a different device.
Joining the room
Telehealth visit · Dr. Patel
Today · 2:30pm · 30 min
Browser will ask once for camera and microphone - choose Allow
The Join visit button activates ten minutes before your scheduled start time and stays active for the entire visit window. Tap it and your browser asks once for camera and microphone permission — choose Allow. If your provider has not arrived yet you will see a calm waiting screen with the visit time and a few helpful tips. The moment your provider opens the room you will hear a soft chime and see them on screen.
What you will see in the call
Your provider takes the main view. Your own video sits in a small tile in the corner — drag it anywhere. The bottom bar holds five buttons: mute, camera, chat, leave, and a settings dot for switching cameras or microphones. If your provider turns on recording, a green Recording pill stays visible at the top of your screen for the entire time it is on — never hidden, never silent.
Your controls in plain language
The mic button mutes you (your provider sees a small mic-off icon next to your name). The camera button hides your video; you still hear and are heard. Chat opens a side panel where anything you type is saved to your visit record — useful for spelling out medication names or sharing a phone number. Leave ends the call cleanly; if you tap it by accident, just tap Join visit again within the visit window and you are back.
If something goes wrong
If the call freezes, refresh the page first — your provider stays in the room and you re-join right where you were. If you cannot reconnect within sixty seconds, your provider will text you the next steps (often just a phone-call fallback). If your camera or mic is not working at all, tap the settings dot in the control bar to pick a different one — many devices have multiple. If nothing helps, switch to a different browser or device; we save your spot in line.
After the visit
The room closes automatically a minute after either of you leaves. Your visit summary, any documents your provider shared, and any prescriptions land in your portal within a few minutes. If you used the in-call chat, the transcript is saved to your visit record so you can re-read instructions later. There is nothing to delete on your end — closing the tab is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to download anything?
Can I use my phone?
Is my visit recorded?
Is this private?
What if I am running late?
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