Table 2.

Sample MyChart Message to Patient to Establish Virtual Visits.

Prior to visit

Dear (patient), for your health and safety, we are converting our in-person visits to virtual visits. We would like to see you virtually for your visit (date). You will not be charged a co-pay for this visit. There are several options to meet with me virtually: Face Time (only on Apple devices) Google Duo (on Android and Apple) Skype Telephone (for follow-up visits ONLY) HIPAA rules governing patient privacy have been changed with COVID-19 response, and these services have been approved for us to use to deliver your care. Let us know what works for you and at what # to reach you. Below is the Informed Consent you would have been asked to review and sign tomorrow prior to the start of your visit. Please review before your visit (but you don’t have to sign) Lastly, please complete the questionnaires sent to your MyChart prior to your visit. Thank you for your flexibility during this time!

New informed consent language

Telepsychology: Your provider offers the option of virtual visits for follow-up. While specific encryption measures have been taken by the Cleveland Clinic to protect the information that will be communicated between you and your psychologist, the privacy and confidentiality of computer-mediated communication cannot be 100% guaranteed. Your psychologist will take every measure to safeguard your information, but you should be aware that there is a very small chance the information may be stolen from transmission between yourself and the psychologist. Also, if you decide to save the information discussed in your online counseling session to your computer as a transcript, you are encouraged to take steps to ensure this information remains confidential. Possible breaches to your privacy could occur if another individual(s) has access to your computer. Additionally, because psychologists have a duty to warn and to protect if there is an indication that the patient is a danger to themselves or others, the program requires that the patient provide information on where the patient will be receiving the virtual visit. Virtual visits provide many conveniences and advantages for the patient. However, not all personal problems are clinically appropriate for online services. Your psychologist may recommend the provision of face-to-face services for specific issues. The clinical appropriateness of virtual visits is at the discretion of the Mellen Center Behavioral Medicine staff.