6 Tips for Video Consultations

We all know how frustrating it can be. You have an appointment via video consultation and having set aside time in your busy day to have an important conversation. However, once you’ve logged into the platform, you’re finding that either you or the other party are having technical difficulties. Either you can’t see the other side, can’t hear the other side, or simply the signal is so bad that they are such a blocky mess- it’s impossible to make out anything! Luckily, many issues that are had during a video consultation can be solved using a few simple fixes.

Here are 6 tips for video consultations that we have found improve the experience for everyone.

Have a good Wi-Fi signal for video consultations

Arguably, the most important factor for having a successful video consultation is having a strong Wi-Fi signal. Many people complain that their call was cut short due to a bad connection through the telemedicine app. It is more likely that they just have a weak Wi-Fi signal. Some keys to having a strong Wi-Fi signal are to be near your router and make sure that your router isn’t being blocked by walls or other objects.

Cut down the background noise

Being able to communicate effectively will help ensure that a video consultation is successful. If you and the party cannot hear one another then it will be hard to have that successful video consultation. When conducting a video consultation, make sure that you are in a space where no one else is having a conversation, and the television or radio are off. This can help make sure lines of communication are clear and the conversation being had over the video consultation will be heard by both parties.

Don’t sit in front of a window

Besides being able to hear each other, it’s also important for both parties on the video consultation to see one another! Many times, what’s causing bad video is poor lighting due to having a strong backlight which, more often than not, is caused by sitting in front of a window. When the brightest light is behind you, your phone or computer’s camera will do its best to accommodate for the bright light and will be forced to darken everything else. If you are sitting in front of the window, this includes you. So, as a general rule of thumb, never sit in front of a window during a video consultation.

Make sure your camera is on

You would be surprised how often this may happen! While it’s a simple step, it is also easy to forget. When beginning your video consultation, make sure you have clicked the camera icon to enable the Beam app to use your computer or phone’s camera.

…As well as your microphone

Just like your camera, it’s also easy for someone to forget to turn on their microphone. When beginning your video consultation, be sure you have enabled the Beam app to use your computer or phone’s microphone by clicking on the microphone icon on the bottom of the screen.

Make sure you are using the appropriate browser

The Beam platform is built to accommodate the most widely used browsers, this includes Google Chrome, Firefox, and Apple’s Safari. If you are using a desktop or laptop computer, all of these should Beam’s platform without any problem. However, if you are using an iOS device, like an iPhone or iPad, then it would be best to use Safari as those devices won’t grant camera access to Chrome or Firefox.

Learn How Beam can Support You Next Video Consultation

While we hope the tips above are helpful for navigating your video consultation, we also understand that problems will arise that are outside of the typical issues highlighted above. If you ever have a problem, know that Beam’s outstanding technical support team is always here to walk you through any technical difficulty. Contact us here by clicking on the support box at the bottom or feel free to give us a call at (212) 547-9860. At Beam, we pride ourselves on making telemedicine easy. If you are interested in learning more about Beam, please click here to schedule a free demo of our easy-to-use telemedicine platform!