Telehealth

What is telehealth?

Telehealth is a form of healthcare that allows for a medical provider to attend to a patient remotely.  At North Shore Community Health Center, we offer telehealth visits by video, providing patients with an opportunity to be seen by their health care provider from the comfort of their own home.

Our Telehealth Hours are:

Monday: 8:30 am- 7 pm
Tuesday: 9:00 am- 9:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:30 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am- 1:00pm/ 4:00pm- 9:00 pm

For what reasons can I be seen over Telehealth?

Many questions you might have for your care team can be answered without you needing to come into the office.  This includes:

  • Annual Wellness Visits/Physicals for Patients 18 and older
  • Flu, cold, COVID, sinusitis, flu symptoms.
  • Sore throat without fever in adults.
  • Contraceptive Counseling
  • Chronic Diseases: (Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, COPD, Asthma, Depression, Chronic Pain)
  • Gynecological: Problems Example: (Discharge, pain, itching)
  • Rash (video call only)
  • Urinary: Urinary Tract Infection or other symptoms
  • Non-urgent back, joint, and abdominal pain
  • Endocrinologist Consultations

How to Schedule your Telehealth Visit

You can schedule a telehealth appointment in the same way you schedule a face-to-face appointment, just be clear before speaking with an operator that you would like to have a visit by phone or video call.

  • Call our main phone line at 978-744-8388.
  • Tell us you would like to schedule a Telehealth appointment with your medical provider.
  • Select a date and time that is convenient for you.
  • Important, when you call, before scheduling your Telehealth visit we will ask you a few questions to make sure you can schedule a telehealth appointment by video call or phone call. For example; Do you have access to the internet? Do you have a smart phone with a camera?

Getting Ready for Your Telehealth Visit

Setting Up Your Space:

  • Make sure you have a private, quiet and well-lit space at your disposal.
  • That you have a fast and stable Internet connection wherever you choose to do your visit.
  • Don’t hesitate to tell us if you need an interpreter. We will be happy to schedule an interpreter so that you will feel more comfortable speaking in your native language when you talk to your medical provider.
  • Have a thermometer nearby and, if you can, take your temperature and write it down on paper if necessary so you can remember it when you talk to your medical provider.
  • Make sure you have your smartphone with enough battery to attend your medical appointment by phone or video call.
  • Make a note if you have any questions, concerns, or want to remember the name of your medications and description so you can easily recall it. This way, at the time of your medical visit, you will be able to communicate the names, details and questions about them with your medical provider. A summary of your visit will be available on your telehealth MyChart account by the end of the day.
  • If necessary, be sure to schedule a follow-up call or if you have any questions, please contact NSCH at our main line number: (978-744-8388).

It is important to clarify that a Telehealth call is not an emergency call. For Emergencies remember to call 911 

Joining Your Telehealth Visit

Instructions for Telephone-Only Visits

  • Remember to be ready at least a few minutes before your scheduled visit.
  • Your medical provider will be communicating with you via phone call to discuss your health, check that everything is okay, help you and provide you with quality care and confidence in your well-being.
  • Important: If you wish to make any changes or cancel your visit, please call the main NSCH number: 978-744-8388.

Instructions for Video Visits

  • Remember to be ready at least a few minutes before your scheduled visit.
  • On your smartphone you will receive by text message the link to your medical visit.
  • With your finger, click on the link to your medical visit.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions
  • Your medical provider will be in touch by video call at the scheduled time.

Check out these instructions for joining your Telehealth visit via Doximity:

English

Spanish

 

Telehealth Navigation Services

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

You may be eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).  If you are interested in learning more, call us at 978-744-8388 and tell our agents that you would like to discuss the ACP program.  Our Telehealth Navigator can set up an appointment with you by phone or in person.

Training on the use of Video Call

Do you have any questions or concerns about being seen by video?  If so, you can call us at 978-744-8388 and ask to have a message sent to the Telehealth Navigator to assist you with video visits.  The Telehealth Navigator will call you back soon.

MyChart Questions

Our Telehealth Navigator can assist you in creating an account and answering any questions you may have around our patient portal – MyChart.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:

How can I change my visit from a Telephone Visit to a Video Visit?
  • Contact NSCH main number: 978-744-8388 
  • Notify us that you wish to change a phone visit to a video call with your provider.
What do I do if I haven’t received the link to join my Video Visit?

Double check that you have not received a text message from a 5-digit phone number.  If you haven’t, give us a call and we can alert your provider.  Don’t worry, if you don’t join your video visit we will attempt to call you.