Intermountain Healthcare is offering video visits to keep our patients and caregivers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Video visits, also sometimes called virtual visits, allow you to have face-to-face consultations with your provider from home, without the need to come to our facilities in-person. Video visits help you stay home, avoid exposure, and reduce the risk of exposure to germs to yourself and others. Visits can be held on your:

• smart phone
• tablet
• computer

Call your provider to find out. Not all conditions can be seen via video, but your provider can decide the best type of appointment for you. We’re still open for in-clinic appointments depending on what you need to be seen for. 

“I’ve been able to convert most appointments to video – about 90 percent,” says Joel Porter, MD, a Layton Clinic family medicine physician. “My patients have told me how grateful they are that we offer this service. They feel we’re making safety a top concern and are very appreciative of that.”

Primary Care, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Oncology, Allergy, Physical Therapy, Sports Medicine, ENT and more. Urgent care needs can also be seen via video using our Connect Care app.

Yes, they’re as easy as answering a FaceTime call on your phone. “I was able to call my clinic and they asked me what type of video appointment I wanted,” says patient Cindy Swenson. “We set up the appointment for a FaceTime visit. When my primary care physician called me, it was just a matter of clicking on my iPad to answer the call. The visit was clear and easy to hear just like I was just like sitting in the office with her.”

“Most patients have found that the visits are easy to navigate and that we’re able to address their concerns and maintain social distancing,” added Dr. Porter. “We’re learning from this and I anticipate that we will utilize this platform much more, even after the current pandemic has resolved.”

You can use your smartphone (Apple or Android phone), iPad or other tablet, or your computer for a video visit. When you call to schedule your appointment, the scheduler will ask which device you prefer to use and email you the instructions. Your visit may take place using FaceTime, Google Duo, WebEx or our Connect Care platform. 

Make sure to read the emailed instructions from your provider’s office. They’ll explain which application you’ll use for your visit and step-by-step instructions on how to log on or answer the call. If you need to download an app such as Google Duo, make sure to do that at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment time so you are ready for your visit. At your appointment time, find a quiet, well-lit area away from distractions to chat with your provider.

From Cynthia, a recent video visit patient: “Because I’m older and considered at risk for COVID-19, I was grateful to be able to video chat with my provider who is very much aware of my health issues. Her call was prompt at the scheduled time. We quickly went through my symptoms and decided on some new prescriptions to help. We also talked about upcoming prescriptions that needed to be refilled from my mail order pharmacy. I felt her genuine concern for my welfare and my needs were met. Her questions about my symptoms helped me realize that she would have had me come to the clinic if there was any cause for concern to be seen in person.  I feel that video visits are a wonderful option for those of us at high risk or anybody!”  

Call your provider’s office to schedule your video appointment today.