Frequently Asked Video Visit Questions

Overview

Virtual video visits give you a convenient and safe way to get care without leaving your home. You connect with a provider from your smartphone, tablet or computer using a secure video link.

With virtual immediate care, OHSU providers can diagnose many nonemergency conditions and call in any necessary prescription.  The cost is usually lower than the cost of visiting a doctor’s office, urgent care center or emergency room.

MyChart is OHSU’s secure online patient portal. The connection is encrypted to safeguard your privacy.

MyChart enables you to:

  • Have a virtual visit
  • See your health records
  • Get test results
  • Contact your doctor
  • Request prescription refills
  • Manage appointments

You can access MyChart through our app for a smartphone or tablet, or on a computer.

For more information, visit our prepare for your visit page.

Zoom is a video conferencing service that lets you have live video chats using your webcam or smartphone. You will start your visit in MyChart, and it will work with Zoom for the video connection.  You will need to download Zoom on your computer, iPhone/iPad, or Android.

Instructions for connecting to a virtual video visit can be found on our Prepare for your visit page.

Or, call 833-895-3603 to:

  • Get technical help, Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Get help registering as a patient or signing up for MyChart:
    • 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays
    • 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday
    • 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Email telemedicine@ohsu.edu to:

  • Give feedback
  • Ask other questions

For virtual immediate care, appointments are available:

  • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
  • Saturday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For all other virtual visits, ask your provider’s office when you schedule your visit.

For virtual immediate care, all of our providers can call in a prescription to your local pharmacy if medically appropriate. We are not able to refill controlled medications (narcotics, etc.). You will need to contact the provider who prescribed those.

For virtual primary and specialty care visits, your provider can call in a prescription to your local pharmacy if medically appropriate.

Virtual immediate care. All of our providers are licensed and board-certified nurse practitioners or physician assistants.

Log into your MyChart app or account, and send your provider a message.

You can cancel your virtual visit up to five minutes before it starts through MyChart. After logging in, go to Visits >  Upcoming Appointments and select the “Details” button for your appointment.

Our providers are licensed to practice only in Oregon and Washington. That means you can be a resident of any state but must physically be in Oregon or Washington to begin your video visit.

Yes, you can have family members on the call with you. If your family member is located elsewhere, during the call, you can invite them to join the call from wherever they are, on their own device.

Virtual visits for children

Yes, we can see anyone who is at least 1 year old. For a younger child, please contact:

  • Your pediatrician
  • Or an urgent care center
  • Or an emergency room

See “How do I create a MyChart account for my child?” on this page for more information.

Consent for medical treatment:

  • Under Oregon law, patients who are 15 or older can consent to medical treatment without the consent of a parent or guardian.
  • Under Washington law, patients who are 18 or older can consent to medical treatment without the consent of a parent or guardian. The law includes exceptions for emergencies and other conditions; making an exception will be at the discretion of our provider.

See instructions and a video on setting up a MyChart account on our prepare for your video visit page.

Children age 12 and younger: Parents/guardians need a MyChart account of their own, then they can add the child to their account. Call OHSU at 833-895-3603 to set up a proxy account for your child.

Hours are:

  • 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays
  • 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday
  • 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Children age 13 and older: Children this age must have their own MyChart account.

For a child age 13 or older: Go to our schedule a visit page. Then complete steps with your child in the MyChart app or computer version, as outlined on our prepare for your visit page.

For a child age 12 or younger: Make sure you have proxy access to your child’s account. (See “How do I create a MyChart account for my child?” above.) Go to our schedule a visit page. Log in to your MyChart account and choose your child’s tab on the right side of the screen. Then follow the steps outlined on our prepare for your visit page

Cost and insurance

Virtual immediate care: If you do not have insurance, your cost is only $79 per visit. If you have insurance, you may pay more or less depending on your plan’s benefits and whether or not you have met your annual out-of-pocket maximum. Check with your health plan to better understand your share of the visit’s cost. This would not include any prescriptions or follow-up visits. We accept many insurance plans. Annual plan deductibles may apply.

Primary and specialty care: Virtual visits are covered by most health plans. Check with your provider’s clinic staff and your health plan for more details.

Many insurance plans cover a virtual visit at OHSU. See a partial list of insurance plans we accept.

Medicare patients: Please note that Medicare does not cover virtual immediate care visits at this time. Your cost will be $79.

Communication and privacy

Yes. You will receive an email when a summary of your visit is available. Then you can see the summary, including any prescriptions, in your MyChart app or by logging in to your MyChart account on your computer.

Yes. At the end of your visit, you can take an anonymous survey to review your care. We track and review responses to make sure we deliver high-quality care.

You can also email feedback to: telemedicine@ohsu.edu

If you want, you can provide the name of your primary care doctor in your MyChart account. Your doctor will then automatically receive notes about your visit.

Yes. OHSU MyChart and OHSU Virtual Visits (powered by Zoom) are encrypted to meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations and other security requirements to safeguard your Protected Health Information (PHI). Learn more about Zoom's privacy policy.

We also recommend that you attend your visit in a private, quiet space.

Language assistance services  for video visits are available to you for free upon request. Please let your provider’s office staff know that you need language services for your visit.