How to improve your telehealth session experience:

• You will speed things along if you already have read my office policies and informed consent document (Professional Disclosure Statement), completed questionnaires, and forwarded records when appropriate before our first appointment.  I will send you all of this information via my client portal.  Also, write down any questions for us to address during your first appointment.
• Log in early to check the technology (monitor angle, camera, microphone, speakers, connecting devices). You may also want to be sure that you can be seated comfortably and that the device you are using is securely positioned so it won’t tip over in the middle of our meeting. Arrange for privacy to avoid the risk of intrusion or embarrassment during our online consultation.  
• I will provide you -via text or email - with a one-click link to connect to my "virtual waiting room", and your session will begin shortly after you check-in.  
• If you are unsure how to connect using technology, practice using Zoom, Skype, or Facetime with a friend or a family member. Platforms used for healthcare work similarly, but are much safer than Skype or Facetime in terms of privacy and security as per US government regulations.  If you can master how to turn the software on and off, increase sound volume, and mute, that’s all that you need to know for starters. If you are in a noisy environment, or around other people, It is also important for you to use a good headset or earbuds to allow me to hear you more clearly and prevent any listeners from hearing our conversation when we meet. If you have a choice, noise-canceling equipment is optimal.
• Have everything that you might need at hand. This might include tissues, questions, paper and pencil in case you want to jot something down, your calendar, and your mobile phone if you connect via video conferencing through a computer or tablet.
• For your first meeting, you may want to have a list of concerns you’d like to address, along with any relevant healthcare records if you haven’t sent them to me ahead of time. I may also ask you about a current list of medications you may be taking.  Keep the list with you when we meet, so you don’t need to search for them during session.
• If you’re a parent or guardian, have another trusted adult available to care for your child or children during your sessions. If your child is old enough to be left alone in another room, making sure they are actively engaged in an activity can be helpful. You may also need a babysitter.
• Check your internet connectivity before your telehealth appointment. Broadband connectivity is an important precondition for success with videoconferencing. If unsure of your device's connection to the Internet, go to any browser and type “What is my internet speed?”. You will see several options for free services that will send a signal to test how quickly you can connect to their home base with a click of your mouse. That type of speed test will tell you if your signal is strong enough for most video platforms, which require 20 Mbps or more. If your connection isn’t fast enough, we may need to experiment with using your cellphone's internet connection for audio contact while using the videoconferencing platform to keep visual contact. If you wish to conduct such an experiment before our meeting, please call my office at 541-292-0907. 
• Plan to use your telephone as a backup if the Internet fails to support our meeting. If that happens, please allow me to call you rather than trying to call me. Staying off your phone will allow me to reach you quickly to resume our session. 
• Please refrain from using your phone during our session for any other activities such as texting, social media, games, etc.   Video connections usually get interrupted when you use other full screen or video-enabled apps.  It is helpful to silence notifications (put your phone on "do not disturb" mode.   If you share your internet connection with others in your household, please be aware that streaming video (i.e., roommates or children watching movies) may affect the quality of your connection for our session.  Please plan accordingly. 
• Allow time for me to respond to your concerns. Remember, a telehealth appointment relies on two-way communication.
• If our efforts in trying to establish a good telehealth connection are not successful, we will need to discuss other alternatives, as long as they can maintain your privacy and confidentiality and if your insurance carrier allows it.   In person sessions are also available.