Successful Telehealth Appointments

Some healthcare appointments don’t require an office visit and instead can take place via telehealth. Telehealth visits usually occur using a secure videoconference platform on a personal computer, tablet, or other mobile device.

Telehealth can be useful for some types of evaluations, such as a wellness check-in or certain parts of neuropsychological exams. Each provider will have specific guidelines about when a telehealth visit may be substituted for an in-person visit, so be sure to ask.

Does insurance pay for telehealth?

The rules about telehealth coverage have changed since the end of the pandemic emergency. Check with insurance providers to see which telehealth visits are covered. It is also a good idea to see if the provider plans to offer and bill for these visits over the long term.

Benefits of telehealth

A successful telehealth appointment depends on whether the patient and provider are both comfortable with the technology and don’t mind communicating remotely if a private, quiet space is accessible. Telehealth can help those who don’t live near an autism specialist or other care provider, or if it is difficult to go to appointments in person. Some benefits to patients include:

• a home or familiar environment is less stressful compared with a clinical setting

• fewer transitions involved like travel, wait times, and noisy spaces

• avoiding the logistics, time, and cost of travel

• it can be easier to include many members of the care team (clinicians, family members, and group home/provider staff).

Downsides of telehealth

• Telehealth may not be a good choice if/when

• A physical examination or in-person treatment is necessary

• There’s a problem that is difficult to describe or see over video (e.g., abnormal movements)

• Certain tests are required, such as blood draws

• The patient is not comfortable communicating via video or by phone

• The patient is inclined to get distracted or wander off when not engaging in person.

Keys to a good telehealth visit

Tips for a successful telehealth appointment:

• Use a private, quiet indoor space — telehealth from a car (never a moving one!) should be for emergencies only.

• Make sure there’s a strong, stable internet connection on the device.

• Ideally, use a device with a stable camera that can stand alone — a tablet or desktop computer is preferable to a phone.

• Two or three days before the appointment, test the video software, the internet connection, camera, and microphone to make sure everything is working and that video and sound are clear.

• At the start of an appointment, give the provider a contact phone number in case the connection is lost.

• While a caregiver may help with communication or give information to the clinician, the autistic adult should be available to appear on camera for as much of the visit as possible.

ECHO for Autism is a good resource for providers and patients to learn more about using telehealth to deliver care.