Tips to help you get the most out of your telehealth visit

Mount Nittany Health is proud to offer telehealth visits that will allow you to meet with your provider from the comfort of your home. Here are some quick tips that will enable you to have the best visit possible.

1. Find the right surface. Place your phone, computer or tablet on a stable surface: a desk, table or anything flat. Make sure your face is visible on the screen, and avoid holding your device in your hand or moving it during the visit.
2. Set up your camera at eye level. If your surface puts your device lower than your face, your provider won’t be able to make eye contact with you. If you need to, place books underneath your device to ensure that the camera is at eye level.
3. Test your volume. Make sure your audio level is loud enough for you to hear. You don’t want to fumble around trying to adjust the sound while you’re on the visit. And check to make sure you’re not on mute — a simple but common mistake.
4. Find a quiet spot. Wherever you are in your home, make sure to shut out any distractions (e.g., kids, pets, TV, etc.). You may be discussing sensitive subjects, and you don’t need any interruptions to your privacy.
5. Close unnecessary programs. Having other programs or tabs open will make your system run more slowly and even lower the quality of your video, causing glitches and disappearing images.
6. Use a wired connection if you can. It’s less prone to interruptions. You don’t want the Wi-Fi going out in the middle of your call.
7. Plug in. It’s a good idea to plug in your computer or phone. If you can’t, then make sure your device is fully charged before you get started.
8. Adjust the lighting in your space. Try turning on overhead lights and blocking light from windows. Sunlight streaming in can lead to too much background light in the video.
9. Use a recommended browser. Make sure to use Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari when using your computer. For mobile devices, make sure to use the My Mount Nittany Health app, available for free in the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices.