Virtual Visits & Telehealth Care

An on-demand video visit is for same-day virtual care for minor issues. Think of it as a virtual visit for minor conditions you might go to acute care for. A provider who specifically sees patients for on-demand visits will join your video call after you share some information about your condition in MyChart to initiate the call.

A scheduled video visit most often will occur with a primary care or specialty provider with whom you already see for care. For certain visit types, conditions and providers, a scheduled video visit may be an option for you rather than an in-person appointment. Most often, you will join these calls from your home.

Many of our providers offer outreach care via telemedicine. For these types of appointments, you will go into a clinic or hospital to conduct the video visit, rather than from your home. If you have this type of appointment, the clinic or hospital staff will inform you about what to expect and when to arrive.

Whether it’s an on-demand video visit or a scheduled video visit, you will incur a normal visit charge as if you were in person.

• Existing patients aged 18 or older.
• Patients who have been seen by an Avera or partner provider in the last [X years].
• Patients who have a designated primary care provider in MyChart.
• Patients who have an active MyChart account.

If you meet the criteria except the MyChart account, sign up for an account today.

You can schedule in MyChart. (You’ll need to log in.) Otherwise, you can call your clinic.

For mobile devices:

• An active MyChart account (or create one)
• An iPhone, an iPad or Android smartphone or tablet with a camera, microphone and speakers
• The MyChart mobile app installed on the mobile device: App Store or Google Play
• A reliable, high-speed internet connection
• A private, well-lit space to discuss your health

For desktops, laptops and web browsers:

• An active MyChart account (or create one)
• The ability to reach the Avera MyChart website
• A computer with a camera, microphone and speakers
• One of these web browsers: Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
• Highly recommended: Patient completes the hardware/connection test the day before your appointment.
• A reliable, high-speed internet connection
• A private, well-lit space to discuss your health

• The Begin Video Visit button will not appear until you are within 45 minutes from the start of your video visit.
• Lose connection?
  • If it happens before the provider joins your video visit, simply reconnect.
  • If it happens after the provider joins your video visit, call the clinic.

• Once the video visit begins, your image will appear in a window in the corner of the screen.
• For optimal picture quality, do not sit or stand in front of windows or bright lights.
• During your visit, you can use multiple video and audio settings including mute, disable camera, leave visit, device selection, shrink and grow.

If you have your communication preferences in MyChart set to receive messages, you’ll receive an email or text message prompting you to join your video visit. Otherwise, you can join a scheduled video visit by logging into MyChart.

Make sure to join your video visit at least [X minutes] before your appointment, because you need to complete some steps in MyChart before you’ll see the provider virtually.

Overview Video

Connect to Video Visit (web browser)

How-To Steps

1. Log in to MyChart.
2. On the home screen, you should see Today’s Visits, where it says you get ready for your MyChart video visit and when you should join by. Select Get ready.
3. Follow the on-screen steps to complete the e-check in process:
   • Confirm your location.
   • Verify your personal information.
   • Review or update insurance details.
   • Add or select a payment account.
   • Review and complete details for your medications, pharmacies and a patient health history questionnaire.
   • Sign documents.
   • Test your hardware (your device’s microphone and camera) to ensure optimal performance during the video visit.
4. When it’s time, you’ll see you can click the Join video visit button available. Note that this button may be grayed out until it’s time to join.
5. You may be prompted to connect your camera or microphone.
6. You may wait in the virtual waiting room until your provider joins the visit.

On-demand video visits are for minor issues like cold and flu symptoms, mild rashes and skin irritation. They are available Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM for patients in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota.

1. Go to the Scheduling section in MyChart. (You’ll need to log in first.)
   • If you’re already logged in and want to navigate to Scheduling, you can either click the Schedule an Appointment tile on the home page or select the top left menu icon. Select Schedule an Appointment.
2. Choose On-Demand Video Visit.
3. Review your location that displays on screen or Change your location if necessary.
   • If you are not physically located in one of the states where we offer video visits, this virtual care option will not be available.
4. If it’s during business hours for on-demand video visits, you can see the next available provider. Select Put me in line.
5. Follow the on-screen steps to:
   • Verify or add your insurance or choose not to bill insurance.
   • Describe why you want to visit with a provider.
   • Select or enter how you’d like us to contact you about the video visit.
6. Choose Complete.
7. On the Appointment Details page, you’ll see that you’re in the waiting list for a visit with the next available video provider. You can:
   • View and invite participants: Select this option and complete the information if you want to view or add a guest to join your video visit.
   • Set up auto pay: This will display as a payment option if it’s available for your visit.
   • Review visit instructions: Get technical guidance for your video visit.
   • Prepare to join: If you see this option, you must select and complete it before your can join.
8. Follow the on-screen steps to complete the e-check in process:
   • Confirm your location.
   • Verify your personal information.
   • Review or update insurance details.
   • Add or select a payment account.
   • Review and complete details for your medications, pharmacies and a patient health history questionnaire.
   • Sign documents.
   • Test your hardware (your device’s microphone and camera) to ensure optimal performance during the video visit.
9. When it’s time, you’ll see you can click the Join video visit button available. Note that this button may be grayed out until it’s time to join.
10. You may be prompted to connect your camera or microphone.
11. You may wait in the virtual waiting room until your provider joins the visit.

If the provider decides additional services or medications are needed, they will order those services. Prescriptions will be sent electronically to your preferred pharmacy.

Sometimes during a video visit, the provider may determine that the patient’s condition requires an in-person interaction, which might include lab tests or an in-person provider visit, for example.

• If during your virtual video visit your provider determines you should come in to be seen in person, you will be billed for the in-person visit, not the virtual video visit.
• If the provider recommends that the patient should follow up with a specific provider if they’re not better within a specific number of days, an appointment with the follow-up provider would incur an additional visit charge.