What do you need for your child's telehealth appointment

• A good connection to the internet
• A well-lit, private area where you will not be disturbed during the appointment
• One of these devices with built-in or external web camera and microphone
  • computer
  • laptop
  • smartphone (iPhone or Android)
  • tablet
  • iPad
• A web browser
  • Recommended
    
    • Google Chrome (Version 80+) if you are using a Windows, Android or MacOS device
    • Apple Safari (Version 12+) if you are using a MacOS or iOS device
  • Other browsers
    
    • Firefox (Version 75+) if you are using a Windows or Android device
    • Microsoft Edge (Version 80+) if you are using a Windows or MacOS device
    • Microsoft Edge (Version 44+) if you are using an Android device

About your telehealth appointment

Preparing for your appointment

• Like a face to face appointment, your child must be in attendance for the telehealth appointment
• Install and software updates on your phone or device
• Make sure you have a quiet, well-lit area for the telehealth appointment
• Have we got your current contact details? 
  • If you have changed number or moved house, call us on (03) 9345 6180 to update your contact details
• Improve your internet connection by sitting closer to the wi-fi router or asking others in the household to temporary log off the network
  • If you can, ask others in your house to stop any video streaming or online video games
• Have your phone nearby so we can contact you in case the video call disconnects
  • This call may come from a 'private number', please answer if you phone rings
• Be prepared to wait for the appointment to be answered - we may be running late
  • Make sure your device has enough battery

On the day of your appointment, enter our Telehealth Waiting Area 10 minutes before your appointment time

1. Open your browser
2. Go to www.rch.org.au/telehealth
3. Click the Start your video call button
4. Click Start your video call
5. Allow access to your webcam and microphone
6. Enter your child's details, agree to the terms of us and click Continue
7. You will be placed in a waiting queue - we will appear in this screen when we answer your call, please do not close or leave this screen

During your appointment

• Allow a moment for the video call connection to establish
• Introduce yourself, your child and anyone else that is in the room with you
• It might seem a bit odd at first but allow gaps between questions and answers to accommodate any connection delays

Translated patient information flyers

healthdirect Video Call and All Graduates Interpreting and Translating services have provided translated healthdirect Video Call patient information flyers in the following languages:

Albanian
Arabic
Burmese
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Filipino
Greek
Hindi
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Karen
Macedonian
Nepali
Persian
Punjabi
Russian
Spanish
Swahili
Tamil
Thai
Turkish
Vietnamese

Patient safety 

Your well-being, privacy and confidentiality remain your priority.

If you do not have a safe place for this consultation or if you are worried about your safety online, please advice your clinician or contact RCH (03 9345 5522) at any time.

We will work with you to ensure great care is maintained.

Privacy and security information

Our telehealth platform is provided by healthdirect Video Call.

healthdirect Video Call is a comprehensive, secure and reliable video consulting service for healthcare in Australia. It is managed by Healthdirect Australia on behalf of the Australian Department of Health, WA Health, ACT Health and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.

For more information around privacy, security and data governance, go to healthdirect Video Call.

Unless previously discussed with your clinician, your telehealth appointment is not recorded.

Our expectations

The RCH is committed to the provision of a safe and healthy work environment for all employees.

We have a zero tolerance policy towards aggression and violence.

If we experience any form of verbal or psychological abuse, intimidating or threatening behaviour or threats during the video call, we will immediately stop the video call.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do if I want to change or cancel my child's appointment?

If you would like to change or cancel the appointment you can:

• Call the Specialist Clinics Contact Centre on (03) 945 6180 – Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm
• Complete an online Specialist Clinics  Change of Appointment form
• Manage your child's appointment on the My RCH Portal (you will need to sign up for My RCH Portal)

Does my child need to attend the appointment with me?

Yes. Your child does need to be present at the appointment with you. If your child is old enough and can attend the telehealth appointment from a different location to you (such as from school), that is also appropriate.

Can another participant attend my child's telehealth appointment from a different location (for example; if the second parent wants to also to attend from another location such as the office)?

Yes. Both of you will access the telehealth waiting area using the Start video call on the RCH Telehealth website. When we answer your video call, inform them that the other attendee is also in the Waiting Area and we will add them to the call.

I am stuck on the 'Restart camera' page

If your browser cannot access your camera or microphone you will get stuck when trying to start a video call. Here are the different ways you can resolve this issue.

If you are using the Google Chrome browser on a desktop or laptop computer:

• In Google Chrome, open a new tab
• In the address bar, enter chrome://settings/content/camera
• This will open Chrome's camera settings page
• From the drop down list, select the correct camera and ensure the vcc.healthdirect.org.au website is not blocked (click the bin icon to remove the website from the Block list)

If you are using Google Chrome browser on an Android mobile device (smartphone, tablet):

• Click the menu button on the top right of the URL bar (three verticle dots)
• Go to Settings
• Select Site Settings and select Camera
• Select any Healthdirect URLs (ie vcc.healthdirect.org.au). Enable camera access by by clicking on the camera symbol and selecting allow access

If you are using Safari on an iOS mobile device (iPad or iPhone):

• Go to Settings  
• Find Safari
• Select Setting For Websites
• Find Camera settings and select Allow
• Find Microphone settings and select Allow

If you are using Firefox

• In the Firefox browser, click the '"i" button in the URL bar and re-activate the camera
• Click on the ;Blocked Temporarily' cross to re-allow camera access and then reload the page

I have been waiting in the Waiting Area for a long time

We apologise for any delay in answering your video call, our clinics can get busy. If you are cannot wait any longer for your video call, please call the Specialist Clinics Call Centre (03) 9345 6180 to reschedule your appointment.

Contact information

If you need to change or cancel your appointment

Specialist Clinics Call Centre (03) 9345 6180 – Monday to Friday, 8am – 5:30pm

If you need to update your contact details (home address, mobile number)

Health Information Services (03) 9345 6108

If you need Interpreter Services

RCH Interpreter NESB Services (03) 9345 5998 – Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5pm

If you need any further assistance

RCH Telehealth Coordinator (03) 9345 4645 – Monday to Friday, 8am – 4:30pm