During the COVID-19 outbreak, care has had to look different. We have shifted many visits to secure video so you can stay connected to support while limiting unnecessary contact. Memor Health is providing teletherapy and telepsychiatry appointments by secure video when remote care fits your needs.
If you are already in therapy or psychiatric care with us, our goal is to provide reassurance and stability. Your appointment time, your clinician and your treatment focus can stay steady, even when the visit happens through a screen.
When symptoms feel heavier right now, please know this: you are not alone. We will help you understand what to expect from a remote visit, including how to set up a private, workable space at home to protect your confidentiality.
How Teletherapy and Telepsychiatry Work During COVID-19
For COVID-19 telehealth visits, we meet with you by secure video through a telehealth app. You can join from a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer as long as you have a camera, microphone and reliable internet.
Your schedule can stay familiar. When a remote visit is appropriate for your care, the session follows the same time slot and general rhythm as an in-person appointment.
Some words may sound similar at first. We will keep the language clear and explain what applies to your care, whether you are here for teletherapy, telepsychiatry or both forms of mental health care.
Teletherapy and Telepsychiatry: Quick Definitions
Teletherapy means you meet with your therapist remotely by secure video instead of coming into the office.
Telepsychiatry means you meet remotely with a psychiatric clinician for evaluation or follow-up care, including medication management when appropriate.
Who This Update Is for and What Has Changed
This update is for patients who receive therapy, psychiatric visits or both and need appointments to continue during COVID-19.
The location changes. The purpose of the visit does not. We are using remote care to support safety and continuity while keeping care aligned with your needs.
Some needs still call for in-person care. When that is the better next step, we will talk with you about what comes next based on your care needs and current COVID-19 operations.
What Stays Steady When Care Moves Online
A video visit can feel unfamiliar at first, especially if you are exhausted, anxious or unsure what to say. We keep the structure steady so you do not have to guess what happens next.
We still begin with a check-in. We still talk through what has changed since your last visit. We still set goals and agree on next steps that fit your life right now.
Your therapeutic relationship remains at the center of the work. You can expect the same respect, the same collaborative tone and the same attention to privacy.
We also keep a whole-person lens. Sleep, stress load, relationships, trauma history, behavior patterns, nutrition and routines shape mental health. Remote visits still leave room for these pieces because your life is not a checklist.
Session Structure and Continuity
Most sessions follow a familiar rhythm: a brief check-in, a shared plan for the visit, the main conversation and a plan for between visits.
When it fits your care plan, we may include behavioral goals that make sense for the life you are living right now. That may mean practicing coping skills, adjusting routines or planning support that reduces friction in daily life.
If worksheets, skills practice or guided exercises have been part of your care, your clinician can still use those tools remotely when they fit the session.
Coordination and Documentation
We document remote visits the same way we do for in-person care as part of standard clinical practice. Notes become part of your medical record, and access is handled through our usual privacy and security workflows.
If your mental health care plan includes coordination with other services, we may coordinate as needed. That can include communicating with another clinician you already work with when you have signed the required permissions.
If you wonder what gets documented or how information is shared, ask during your visit. We will answer in plain language.
What Feels Different in a Teletherapy Session
The main difference in teletherapy is the setting. Instead of walking into a clinic room, you create a small pocket of privacy where you are.
That pocket does not have to be perfect. A simple, quieter space can reduce interruptions and help you talk more freely.
You will also rely on your device and internet connection. A few minutes of preparation can make the whole session feel calmer.
Privacy Setup at Home
Choose the most private place you have access to. A closed door helps. Headphones can help even more, especially if you live with others.
If it feels safe, let people in your household know you are in an appointment and cannot be interrupted. For parents and caregivers, we can work with what is realistic in your home.
Use secure Wi-Fi when you can. Public networks add risk. If you must use shared internet, headphones and a private space still strengthen your mental health and behavioral health privacy during the visit.
If your environment is not fully private, tell your clinician at the start. We can adjust what we cover and how we talk about sensitive behavioral topics.
Connection issues happen. We will not hold you responsible, and you do not need to panic.
If you lose video or audio:
If you still cannot reconnect, use the contact option provided by your clinic for technical or scheduling guidance.
Telepsychiatry Services: What Remote Psychiatric Care Can Include
Telepsychiatry can cover many of the same needs as office-based care through secure video. That can include an initial psychiatric evaluation, follow-ups and medication management when appropriate.
Your psychiatrist may review symptoms, side effects and functional changes. You can talk about sleep, appetite, motivation, focus, stress responses and how those changes affect daily life.
Some aspects of psychiatric care may require additional coordination. If your care plan includes labs or other services, we will explain what is needed and how to move forward based on available options during COVID-19 operations.
For context about this model of care, the American Psychiatric Association’s telepsychiatry guidance offers helpful background.
Evaluations and Follow-Ups
A first telepsychiatry visit often includes identity verification and a structured intake. We may confirm your name, date of birth and other basics before we begin.
You can make the visit easier by having a few notes nearby: a summary of your current concerns, your symptom timeline, relevant history and a list of current medications and supplements.
Follow-ups usually feel more focused. We review changes since the last visit, talk through benefits and side effects and decide on next steps together.
If you are not sure what details matter, start where you are. We will guide the conversation.
Medication Management and Refill Workflow
Medication questions can feel urgent when you are running low. Planning lowers that stress.
Before requesting a refill, gather:
Refill timing depends on your treatment plan and clinic workflow. Request refills in advance when you can, and follow our office’s instructions on where and how to submit the request.
If anything has changed, tell us. New side effects, missed doses, pregnancy status, new over-the-counter products and alcohol or substance use can matter for psychiatric safety.
HIPAA Compliance and Session Security
Privacy deserves tender care in mental health treatment. People share personal history, trauma, relationship stress and symptoms that can feel hard to name. We treat that information with care.
Our goal is to use systems designed for healthcare privacy. In plain terms, that means limiting who can access your information and protecting data as it moves between you and your clinician.
For a plain-language overview of healthcare privacy rules, the US Department of Health and Human Services’ summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule can clarify key terms and expectations.
What HIPAA Compliant and Encrypted Sessions Mean
HIPAA is a US federal law enacted in 1996. Its Privacy Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other individually identifiable health information, referred to as protected health information (PHI). It guides how healthcare organizations handle, store and share patient information.
When we say a platform is HIPAA-compliant, we mean it is designed to support the privacy and security obligations in healthcare settings.
Encrypted sessions mean information is scrambled while it travels between devices, making it harder for an outside party to read it in transit. If you want more background on encryption concepts, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cryptographic Standards and Guidelines resource offers background on cryptography and encryption.
We never describe any system as perfect or risk-free. We take concrete steps to reduce risk.
We also treat recording with care. Sessions are not recorded unless there is a clear clinical reason and you have explicitly agreed to it.
Secure Telemedicine Setup Basics
Confidentiality: Your Role and Our Role
Privacy works best when we each handle our part. We do not place the burden on you, and we also cannot control every part of your home environment.
We protect patient confidentiality through secure systems, private spaces on our end and standard clinical boundaries.
You support patient confidentiality by choosing as much privacy as your setting allows and by telling us if someone else is present or can overhear.
Our Responsibilities as Clinicians
We conduct sessions at a private location and adhere to privacy laws and professional ethics governing confidentiality in mental health care.
We also use secure workflows for documentation and communication that align with behavioral health privacy expectations.
If we need to involve another clinician, we do so only with the permissions required for coordinated care. When you have questions about information sharing, we will answer directly.
Your Responsibilities at Home
You do not need a perfect setup, but a few choices can protect your privacy and help you feel safer during the session.
If you can, aim for:
If someone must be nearby, tell your clinician at the start. If you want another person present for support, ask first so we can confirm that it fits the visit and document consent.
Please do not record the session unless we have discussed it and agreed together.
iSalus Healthcare Telehealth App Setup
We use iSalus Healthcare for secure doctor-to-patient communication. This telehealth app lets you join video visits when remote care is the right fit.
Install the app ahead of time if you can. A short setup before appointment day reduces stress, especially if symptoms are already wearing you down.
You can download the app from the official stores:
After installation, the app may prompt you to create an account and verify your email or phone. Follow the on-screen instructions you receive.
The app will ask for permissions. Allow access to the camera and microphone so the visit can run smoothly.
Setting Up iSalus on Your Phone or Tablet
On Apple devices, open the App Store, install AnywhereCare and sign in or create your account. When prompted, allow camera and microphone permissions. If notifications are offered for reminders, you can allow them if you want.
On Android devices, open Google Play, install AnywhereCare and sign in or create your account. Allow camera and microphone permissions. If your phone has battery optimization features, check that they are not blocking the app during your visit.
Before your appointment, test your camera and microphone. Confirm you can hear and be heard in a quiet room.
If you have not used video visits before, consider a quick trial call with a friend using any video tool on your device. The goal is simply to confirm audio and camera basics.
Troubleshooting iSalus
Forgotten password: use the in-app reset option and complete the verification steps.
Audio not working? Check app permissions, raise the device volume and reconnect the headphones.
Video not working? Confirm camera permissions and close any other apps that may be using the camera.
App glitches: update the app, then close and reopen it. Restart your device if needed.
Connection drops: rejoin the visit, then follow the clinic’s standard guidance if reconnection fails.
If you are stuck right before the appointment, use the contact option your clinic provides for help.
Before and During Your Appointment: A Calm Walkthrough
Remote visits feel calmer when you know what to expect. Preparation is not about doing everything perfectly. It lowers the number of surprises.
COVID-19 telehealth can bring up mixed feelings. You might feel relieved to stay home or disappointed that you cannot be in the office. Both reactions make sense.
If you want general context on COVID-19 operational changes in healthcare settings, CDC COVID-19 guidance can help explain why many services shifted to remote options during the outbreak.
Before Your Appointment Checklist
During Your Appointment, Plus a Safety Note
Join a few minutes early so you can settle in. If the app uses a waiting room feature, you may see a screen that shows you are waiting for the clinician.
At the start, we may confirm your identity and your current location. Location matters if we need to direct you to local urgent care.
Then we focus on why you came in. You can talk about symptoms, stressors, relationship strain, grief, panic, low mood, irritability or anything else affecting your mental health.
If you get disconnected, rejoin the session in the app. If it will not reconnect, use the contact option provided by your clinic.
A safety note: telehealth is meant for routine care, therapy visits and medication follow-ups when appropriate. If you are in imminent danger or believe you need emergency help, follow your clinic’s emergency guidance, if available and seek urgent or emergency services in your area.
Next Steps: How to Request an Appointment During COVID-19
If you are unsure whether your next visit should be remote or in person, start by requesting your appointment as usual. We will confirm the best format based on your needs and current operations.
If you cannot find what you need quickly, pause and take one small step. Write down your main concern in one sentence, then use our standard scheduling option on our website.
You do not need the perfect words. You only need a starting point.
For Current Patients
If you are already established with us, you can often continue care remotely when that option fits your needs. We aim to keep your treatment moving, even if the visit format changes.
Before your next appointment, consider updating your contact information. For psychiatric follow-ups, confirm that our preferred pharmacy details are correct, as refill workflows depend on accurate information.
If your privacy situation at home has changed, tell us. We can adjust the session plan to fit what is realistic.
For New Patients
If you are seeking care for the first time, it helps to prepare a summary of what brings you in. One paragraph is enough.
Include the main concerns, how long they have been present and what you have tried so far. If insurance is relevant for your visit, have your details available.
Reaching out can feel intimidating when you are already stretched thin. We will meet you with steadiness, explain each step and help you access care during the COVID-19 outbreak through teletherapy and telepsychiatry when remote visits are appropriate.
