Video Visit Questions
On-Demand Video Visits
Patients join a virtual queue through My Health Online. No appointment needed so getting care is simple and convenient.
Care through On-Demand Video Visits is provided by Sutter doctors, physicians assistants and nurse practitioners who specialize in urgent care, internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics.
No. On-Demand Video Visits do not replace ongoing care with your primary care clinician. On-Demand visits are for same-day treatment of non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Please see your primary care clinician for regular checkups, preventive care, chronic condition management and follow-up.
Sign in to your My Health Online account and select “On-Demand Video Visit” under the main menu. If you don’t have an MHO account, you can sign up now.
- Aches and pains
- Allergies and asthma
- Cold, flu and COVID
- Digestive health
- Eye irritation
- Emotional wellbeing
- Skin conditions
- Urinary health
While On-Demand Video Visits cover many common health concerns, they are not right for emergencies or other situations that require in-person care. Review the list below for a partial list of what isn’t covered:
- Cardiac and respiratory emergencies
- Checkups or physical exams
- Mental health and elderly concerns
- Pregnancy and children's health
- Severe digestive problems
- Severe wounds, injuries, infections and skin conditions
Please call 911 if you have an emergency or an urgent medical question.
Sutter accepts most insurance. Check with your insurance provider to verify coverage and the amount of your copay, if any.
You must be physically located in California to use this service.
On-Demand Video Visits are available to adults and children ages 18 months – 18 years old. You must have a My Health Online account.
While we do not provide new prescriptions, limited refills may be offered when appropriate. During your On-Demand Video Visit, our clinicians may also order lab tests if needed. You can view your lab results in My Health Online. If you have any questions after your visit, please call 800-4-SUTTER and ask to have a message sent to the “On-Demand Video” team.
We only provide refills in some circumstances.
- We do NOT refill controlled medications, under any circumstances.
- For safety and continuity of care, routine refills should come from your primary care provider.
- If you’re switching to Sutter from an outside provider, please contact your prior doctor for refills until your first Sutter visit.
- Our On-Demand doctors may refill select medications short-term if appropriate – like asthma inhalers, hypertension or cholesterol meds, EpiPens, or PrEP (Prep Truvada) – depending on prior evaluations.
Our clinician may order tests or recommend follow-up care. You'll receive instructions and can view results in My Health Online.
- Before your visit, test your system using our built-in test feature within My Health Online.
- Sign in 15 minutes before the Video Visit start time.
- Join the Video Visit from a quiet, private location where you’re comfortable discussing health questions.
- Make sure the room has good lighting so the provider can see you.
- If you’re using a tablet, have your phone nearby in case we need to contact you.
You can use most phones, laptops and desktop computers to join a Video Visit. Unfortunately, the following devices aren’t compatible with Video Visits:
- Amazon Fire tablets
- Kindles
- iPhones older than version 8
- IE 11
- Samsung Internet Browser
To set up your device for Video Visits, please see our instructions for mobile devices or tablets or laptops or desktop computers.
Before connecting to a Video Visit, make sure you have version 9.4.4 or later of the Sutter Health My Health Online app. If you have trouble connecting to your appointment, please restart your device and try again. We understand that technical problems happen, so if any issues persist, contact your care team and we’ll continue your visit by phone.
Following your Video Visit, it’s a good idea to contact our Sutter Health My Health Online Support team. That way, we can tackle any technical issues that can disrupt future Video Visits.
Video Visits are available to:
- All My Health Online members 18 months or older who live in California
- Teens who have a My Health Online account
- Adult proxies of children 12 years and younger can schedule same-day Video Visits for their child
Some health concerns require an in-person visit with your provider. If you’re an existing patient and need to schedule one of the following, please book an office visit directly through My Health Online or by contacting your provider’s office:
- Licensure (e.g., DMV or FAA)
- Pap smear
- Pre-op exam
- Procedures
- Routine physical examination for camp, sports or pre-employment
- Well-child check
Video Visits aren’t for emergencies. Call 911 or go directly to the nearest emergency room if you have an emergency.
Video Visits are convenient for non-urgent or minor health conditions, such as:
- Acne
- Allergies
- Constipation
- Cough or cold
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Flu
- Insect bites
- Nausea
- Pink eye
- Rashes
- Respiratory problems
- Sinus infection
- Sore throat
- Stye
Please note this isn’t a comprehensive list of conditions, and your condition may not be appropriate for this type of service. If you require a hands-on exam, visit a nearby Urgent Care, schedule a visit at a Walk-In Care clinic or make an appointment with your doctor through My Health Online.
View Conditions of Registration (PDF) for a visit with a Sutter Walk-In Care clinician.
Follow these simple steps:
- Sign in to My Health Online.
- Tap or click Appointments.
- Select your Video Visit from the list of Upcoming Appointments.
- 15 minutes before your appointment time, you’ll see a Begin Visit or a Launch Video button in My Health Online.
- Simply tap or click on the button to join your Video Visit.
- Tap or click the Test Hardware button to ensure your device is ready.
- Once your clinician joins, your visit will begin.
To cancel an appointment before it begins, sign in to My Health Online, open the appointment details and tap or click the Cancel button.
See our Video Visit Resources for information in different languages.