Telehealth Visits

Telehealth is a convenient way for you to have an appointment with your UI Health Care provider from the comfort of your own home. A telehealth appointment saves you the time you’d normally spend traveling to and from the clinic.

Most telehealth appointments are usually video visits. You and your provider meet in a secure, private video call on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. In some cases, telehealth telephone visits are also possible.

Telehealth appointments are available with many University of Iowa Health Care providers

46: Average miles round trip saved by telehealth appointment

Visit your doctor from home

A telehealth video visit is a great way for you and your provider to meet and talk about your health. You can describe your recent health issues, get a diagnosis, discuss a treatment plan, get your medications prescribed, and follow up with your provider after you’ve received treatment.

During your telehealth video visit you can safely and securely exchange medical records, photos and videos, personal health updates, test results, and other important information your provider uses to care for you.

You stay at home while getting the same high-quality care and personal attention you’ve come to expect from your UI Health Care provider for:

  • Illnesses and injuries
  • Common health conditions
  • Follow-up appointments
  • Health screenings

Get started with telehealth

All telehealth visits begin in your MyChart account. If you haven’t set up your free MyChart account yet, it’s easy to get started. You can sign up now or you can learn about all the great benefits of managing your UI Health Care experience through MyChart.

Ready to get started with your telehealth video visit? Contact us and request an appointment or set up your appointment using MyChart. We’ll work with you to determine if a telehealth video visit is right for you.

Answers to Your Questions about a Telehealth Video Visit

How do I schedule a telehealth video visit?

A telehealth video visit is just like any other appointment with a UI Health Care provider. Whether you’re a new patient or an existing patient, you contact us to set up the appointment, and we work with you to determine whether a telehealth video visit or an in-person visit is right for you.

You can request your appointment any of these three ways:

Use MyChart    Call 1-800-777-8442    Fill out an appointment request form

Need to change your in-person visit to a telehealth video visit?

If you have an in-person appointment scheduled but you’d like to change it to a video visit, call us at 1-800-777-8442 and let us know. We’ll check to see if your appointment can be changed, and we'll make sure you know what to do next.

How do I prepare for a telehealth video visit?

If telehealth is new to you, you’ll find that it’s helpful to do a few things before the visit so that you and your provider can focus on your health care for the whole time you’re together. With just a little bit of preparation, you’ll be ready to relax and get the most out of your visit.

Choose a quiet, well-lighted place. Pick a place where you know you won’t be disturbed by family members or other distractions. Make sure there’s plenty of light so your provider can see you clearly while you meet.

Collect all the information you need. Make sure you have your insurance card and a list of any medications you’re taking by your side during the visit. Hunting for this information during the visit can take time away from focusing on your health.

Follow any special instructions you receive from your provider. Some providers have tips they’ll share with you before the visit to make it easier for them to get the information they need to care for you. For example, an eye-care specialist might send instructions on how to take pictures of your eyes that can be discussed during your visit.

Does my health insurance plan cover telehealth?

Coverage varies by insurance provider, but your insurance will always be billed first. If your insurance does not cover this type of virtual care, you will be billed directly. Please reach out to your insurance provider to determine your coverage. Most insurance providers are covering this service.

Where can I learn more about getting started with telehealth?

Get to know MyChart. You’ll learn all about the benefits of using MyChart along with some tutorial videos to help you sign up for MyChart and to help you start your first telehealth video visit.

Read the frequently asked questions about MyChart. This is a good source of detailed information about MyChart, including what makes our telehealth video visit service a safer, more secure option than other services such as FaceTime or Skype.

Go straight to our video tutorial. Get plain instructions, including a detailed preview of what you’ll see the first time you set up a telehealth video visit.