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Zoom for Healthcare

Zoom for Healthcare is a cloud-based video conferencing software approved for the delivery of virtual health. To support virtual health visits, PHSA endorses the use of Zoom for Healthcare, not Zoom Basic.

Overview

Zoom for Healthcare is endorsed by the British Columbia Ministry of Health as part of the COVID-19 emergency response. PHSA is provisioning accounts to eligible health-care users. These accounts are referred to as Zoom for Virtual Health Visits accounts.

Zoom for Virtual Health Visits is best used for scheduled or on-demand clinical appointments. It has screen sharing and chat functions that can be used for one-on-one or group sessions.

PHSA does not endorse the use of Zoom Basic (the free version) or Zoom Pro for hosting virtual health visits. These versions of Zoom do not meet privacy and security requirements for patient care.

Share your feedback in our Zoom survey!

 We are gathering feedback from clinicians, schedulers and patients on their virtual health visit experiences using Zoom for Virtual Health Visits (previously known as Zoom for Healthcare). Results of the survey will be used to improve the user experience.

The survey will be administered from November 1 - 30 across all health organizations hosted on the OVH Zoom for Virtual Health Visits instance (PHSA, Providence Health Care, Island Health, Doctors of BC, HealthLink BC, Community Living BC and CF clinics).
Take the survey 

Zoom survey poster

Help promote the survey by displaying this poster in your clinic. 

Using Zoom

Update: October 18, 2022

Cloud recording is now expanded for all PHSA users of Zoom for Healthcare to record patients for educational purposes.
 

What do you need to do if you want to use Zoom to record patients for educational purposes?


  1. Make sure you have a PHSA Zoom for Healthcare Account
  2. Go to the video recording request form
  3. Complete the required training and other steps outlined in the form

Note: If you already have the recording functionality to record virtual visits for educational purposes without patients in the video, you do not need to reapply. However, if you wish to use it to record patients, please review the following documents to make sure you are using the functionality appropriately:

 
  1. Zoom Terms of Use (PDF)
  2. Virtual Health Visits Recording Functionality Request and Use Procedure (PDF)

Where can I get more Zoom resources/support?

Find more Zoom-related resources under the Resources tab.

For more information, contact the Office of Virtual Health at officeofvirtualhealth@phsa.ca or speak to your Office of Virtual Health clinical leaders.

Technical requirements:

  • Access to reliable internet (Wi-Fi or data)
  • A computer, smartphone (iOS or Android), or tablet with:
    • Speakers and a microphone (we recommend using a headset)
    • A webcam or built-in camera

Request a Zoom for Virtual Health Visits account:

  • The Office of Virtual Health (OVH) is coordinating the provisioning of Zoom for Virtual Health Visit accounts to users at the following organizations: 
    • Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) 
    • Providence Health Care (PHC) 
    • Island Health  
    • HealthLink BC (HLBC) 
    • Doctors of BC (DoBC) 
    • Community Living BC (CLBC)
Please note the online form works best in Google Chrome. You will receive an account activation email once it is ready.

Patients can join a Zoom virtual health visit with or without an account.
Request an account

How to receive a Zoom desktop application update

Updates to the Zoom software are issued periodically and require a few simple steps on your end.  Follow the steps in this 1-page PDF.

Using Zoom for Virtual Health Visits

Clinical users can access Zoom for Virtual Health Visits in three ways:
  • Desktop application -- this is installed on most health authority workstations that are on-site and connected to the network
  • Mobile app -- download the Zoom Cloud Meetings app from iOS or Google app stores
  • Web browser
Please always use your Zoom for Virtual Health Visits account to connect with patients.





Resources

Support and training for staff and clinicians

The Office of Virtual Health works with provincial partners to develop education and training resources for users of Zoom for Healthcare.

Here are a number of resources to support you: 

Some popular topics have also been extracted from the manual, along with other helpful information, to create the quick reference guides below.

Not sure where to start, or still have questions? Reach out to us at OVHeducation@phsa.ca.

Looking for patient and family resources? See the Zoom Resources for Patients webpage.



Privacy and security
Zoom for Healthcare announcement:
Zoom Single Sign On coming soon

 

PHSA’s Office of Virtual Health enabled Zoom Single Sign On (SSO) for all PHSA Zoom for Healthcare users on March 22.

What is Zoom SSO?

Zoom SSO is an authentication method that enables users to securely log into Zoom for Healthcare with their PHSA credentials.

This means if a PHSA employee logs onto an access device connected to the network on site they will not need to re-enter their log in credentials to access Zoom for Healthcare.  When connecting off site, the authenticator application is required to log into Zoom for Healthcare. 

The benefits of SSO

Zoom SSO will enhance security, by supporting two-factor authentication and remove the ability for non-PHSA users to access our Zoom for Healthcare network. 

It is anticipated that Zoom SSO will create efficiencies in clinical workflows, as users on site will not need to re-enter their log in credentials to access Zoom for Healthcare.  

What does this mean for PHSA Zoom users?

If you haven’t used SSO to sign in before, first make sure you are signed out of Zoom.

Users who work off-site will need to download the authenticator application, in the same way they would to access POD. The Microsoft authenticator application can be downloaded on your mobile device. 

Note: The Office of Virtual Health (OVH) is supporting clinical teams that have generic Zoom for Healthcare accounts to transition to individualized accounts. In order to ensure that service delivery is not interrupted, this update will not affect those generic Zoom for Healthcare accounts, until a suitable transition plan is in place.

Tools and resources

For more information:

Privacy and security for Zoom for Healthcare

 
  • Always use your Zoom for Virtual Health Visits account to connect with patients. This ensures the privacy and security of the virtual health visit is protected. Please do not use any other version of Zoom, free or paid.
  • There are some unique risks when using technology to provide care virtually. The privacy and security resource is meant to support PHSA staff and clinicians in navigating privacy and security in virtual health.
  • This poster explains why other Zoom accounts – such as Zoom basic and Zoom pro – don’t provide privacy and security protection. It outlines how you can ensure you are using Zoom for Healthcare for your virtual health visits.  
  • Avoid using a public internet connection (e.g. external Wi-Fi) for your virtual health visit as it does not guarantee privacy and security.
Security configurations specific to PHSA Zoom for Virtual Health Visits accounts

We have applied the following configurations to even better protect privacy and security:

  • Virtual health visits are passcode protected 

  • 'Waiting rooms' for virtual health visits are enabled

  • Virtual health visits cannot be recorded

  • File transfer is disabled

  • Annotations during virtual health visits are turned off

 

Do:

  • Double check that the invite is addressed to the correct recipient(s)
  • "Lock" the virtual health visit once all participants have joined
  • Only allow the host to screen share during the virtual health visit 
  • If screen sharing, ensure no personal information from anyone other than the patient is being shared. If others are participating in the visit, request the patient's permission before screen sharing personal information
  • Enable/assign a Co-Host to manage participants during the virtual health visit 
Don't:

  • Schedule virtual health visits using your Personal Meeting ID
  • Use distribution lists to send out invitations
  • Share links to join a virtual health visit on public-facing platforms
  • Enable option to allow removed participants to rejoin the visit after being removed

 
  • Bandwidth capacity: health authority infrastructure and performance load to support simultaneous sessions and performance (use case dependent) 
  • Potential to send meeting invite to an uninvited recipient
  • Unintended sharing of personal identifiable information
  • Policy constraints if user is on external Wi-Fi or in a public setting


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SOURCE: Zoom for Healthcare ( )
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