The COVID-19 pandemic spurred many health care organizations to begin using telehealth services, rather than in-person, for the health and safety of both patients and clinicians. Telehealth, or remote health care, is a relatively new way of providing services for our communities. Using video calls, clinicians and people served can communicate one-on-one or in groups. At the WellPower, we use Microsoft Teams to provide telehealth services.
How does Telehealth work?
Telehealth services are safe, secure and easy to access with a few key items. As long as you have a device that can show and send video (like a smartphone or computer), as well as a stable internet connection, you can communicate with your clinician anywhere.
Some of the key benefits are:
- Being able to see expressions and body language when talking
- No need to use transportation to access services
- No additional costs to you to use telehealth services
- Being able to choose a safe, private space while you talk to your clinician
We also continue to offer interpretation services in languages like Spanish and ASL over our telehealth platform.
What do you need?
If you’ve never accessed services at the WellPower before, you’ll need to start by calling or emailing our Access Center.
Once you’ve begun accessing services with us, you’ll need the following items:
- A stable internet connection
- An email address
- A device with video and audio, like a smartphone or computer
- Signed consent forms
- The Microsoft Teams App
We’ve put together a webpage that will walk you through each item step-by-step to ensure you have everything. Visit our telehealth Resources for You page or for a general telehealth overview, check out our main telehealth page.
The Future of Telehealth
As the WellPower continues to provide services remotely, we know that telehealth will be our primary way of interacting with our community.
As the situation with COVID-19 continues to unfold and we adjust to our new normal, the way we provide services will also continue to adjust. We hope to see a balance of in-person services and telehealth services available and accessible to our whole community.