Virtual Visits
About the virtual visit
A virtual visit is a video or phone appointment with your healthcare provider or care team from home, work, or another private location.
During a virtual visit, you can:
- Address a new medical concern or change in your health
- Follow up on an existing condition
- Review or order lab work, imaging, or test results
- Discuss medications, refill a prescription, or order a new one
- Talk about an upcoming procedure or surgery
Caregivers, family members, and others can join your virtual visit from your location or remotely.
How can I schedule a virtual visit?
There are two ways to access virtual care at Mass General Brigham.
- Whether or not you’re an established patient, you can see a doctor virtually from home anytime through 24/7 Virtual Care for one-time medical needs. To schedule a 24/7 Virtual Care visit, use this online request form or select “24/7 Virtual Care” from within Patient Gateway.
- If you’re already a Mass General Brigham patient, call or send a message to your provider through Patient Gateway to find out if a virtual visit is available for your care.
If you are located outside of Massachusetts, please check with your provider to confirm that virtual visits are available in your area.
How to prepare for and participate in a virtual visit
Please complete the following steps below before your virtual visit with your provider.
Step 1
Sign in or create your Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway account. Call 1-800-745-9683 if you have questions or need help setting up your account.
Step 2
Schedule your virtual visit through Patient Gateway to connect with a primary or specialty care provider from wherever you are.
Step 3
Review our Virtual Care Service Agreement and Patient FAQs before your visit.
Step 4
Download Zoom onto your device ahead of your visit.
- Computer: Download Zoom onto your computer. If you have a Chromebook, please add Zoom to your web browser.
- Mobile/Tablet: Download the Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway App from the Apple Store or Google Play then download the Zoom App from the Apple Store, Google Play, or directly from the Zoom website.
If you use Safari or Firefox web browsers, disable pop up blockers. Visit the Zoom test website to make sure the audio and video features work on your device. Call 800-745-9683 for assistance, if needed.
Step 5
Log in to Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway 10-20 minutes before your appointment to start your virtual visit.
You will see the message “Wait for the host to start the meeting” until your provider launches the visit. Please wait until your provider connects. Call the provider if you have trouble connecting at the time of your appointment.