How to start online video consultations in Pakistan: a practical guide for doctors
Video consultations let you see patients who can’t easily reach your clinic: people in other cities, working patients in the evening, mothers with small children, and follow-up patients who only need to show you a report. Many doctors start with one or two evening hours a week and grow from there.
This guide covers what to decide before your first video patient.
Decide which cases you’ll see on video
Video works well for follow-ups, reviewing lab reports, chronic conditions such as diabetes and blood pressure, skin problems that can be seen on camera, mental health conversations, and advice on whether a patient needs to come in at all.
It is not a substitute for an examination. Write down for yourself which complaints you will always ask to see in person, and tell the patient early in the call if they need to come to the clinic or go to emergency.
Before you start, check the current rules for telemedicine from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and your provincial healthcare commission, and keep your registration details visible on your profile.
Set fixed video timings
Patients book more when they can see a clear slot. Keep video hours separate from your clinic OPD so a delayed clinic doesn’t make online patients wait. A 10 to 15 minute slot is enough for most follow-ups; give new patients a longer slot.
Take the fee before the call
Two common problems with online consultations are patients who don’t pay after the call and patients who don’t show up. Asking for the fee at booking solves both. In Pakistan, patients are used to paying by card, JazzCash, Easypaisa or bank transfer, so offer all of them.
In eMedics Pro, the patient pays through PayFast when they book, and the button to join the video only appears once the payment is confirmed.
Get the history before you join
Ask patients to fill in the reason for the visit, their long-term conditions, allergies and current medicines, and to upload any reports before the call. You’ll spend the consultation on the problem instead of on questions, and you’ll have a written record.
Use a simple, reliable setup
- A quiet, well-lit room with a plain background
- A laptop or phone on a stand at eye level
- Wired internet or a strong Wi-Fi signal, with mobile data as a backup
- Headphones with a microphone, so the patient’s details stay private
Patients should be able to join from the browser on their phone without downloading anything. The fewer steps they have to take, the fewer calls start late.
Write the prescription and plan the follow-up
Write the prescription during or right after the call so the patient gets it in writing, with the dose and duration of every medicine. Note the follow-up date and what should make them come in sooner.
Let patients know you’re online
- Add your booking link to your Google Business Profile
- Put it on your clinic’s Facebook page and WhatsApp status
- Print it on your prescription pad and clinic board, so existing patients book their follow-ups online
Summary
Start small with fixed hours, take the fee at booking, collect the history in advance, and keep every prescription on record. If you’d like to see how this works in eMedics Pro, message us on WhatsApp for a free demo.