Telehealth — Video Calls
Individual & Group Sessions
In OptiMantra, you can use the built-in secure video chat to communicate with your clients. Both 1:1 telehealth calls and group video calls run on the same Twilio Video platform — giving you a pre-session lobby, in-session text chat, background blur, virtual backgrounds, and screen sharing.
In this article
Emailing Clients for Video Calls
To include a video chat link in your communications, use the keyword VIDEO_CHAT_LINK wherever you want the link to appear.
- This keyword works in automated reminder and confirmation email templates.
- It is also available in text (SMS) message templates, so patients can join from their mobile device.
- Clients who receive the link do not need to log into the patient portal — the link takes them directly to the video chat lobby.
Accessing the Video Chat (1:1)
Access the video chat page for any patient from either the Patients page or the Scheduling page (if the patient is already on the schedule) using the Actions menu (three stacked bars icon).
[Insert screenshot: appointment popover on the Scheduling page with the Actions menu highlighted.]
Video Chat is the bottom item in the Point of Sale column of the Actions menu.
On the Video Chat page you can:
- Send the patient the session link by clicking Email Link or Text Link to Patient (these options only appear if a valid email address and/or phone number exists on the patient record).
- Click Start Video Chat when you are ready to open the room.
Accessing Group Video Calls
To create or join a group session:
- Click the Shortcuts icon in the top navigation bar.
- Under the Administrative section, click Manage Video Calls.
- From the Manage Video Calls page you can create a new group session, copy its link to share with attendees, or join an existing session.
When you create a new session, the list will show:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Host | The practitioner who created the session. |
| Session name | Name assigned at creation. |
| Password | Required for participants to join (if set). |
| Host link | Share with co-practitioners who need host access. |
| Patient link | Send to patients to join as participants. |
| Direct access link | Allows patients to join from the OptiMantra patient login page. |
Password-protecting a group session
When creating a group video call you can set an access password. Anyone joining will be prompted to enter the password in the lobby before they can move into the room. Share the password with attendees alongside the join link. Passwords are case-sensitive.
The Video Chat Lobby
Before entering any video chat (1:1 or group), everyone lands in a lobby to preview their setup before joining the room. From the lobby you can:
- See who is already in the room — participants who have already joined appear with an (in session) label next to their name.
- Update your display name — click Update name and enter a name between 4 and 49 characters. Names outside that range will be rejected.
- Toggle your camera and microphone — preview yourself and verify your hardware before joining.
- Apply background blur or a virtual background — see the next section for details.
- Join the session — click Join when you are ready.
Using the Video Chat
Once you join, the in-session toolbar gives you controls for camera, microphone, background effects, screen sharing (practitioner only), in-session chat, and leaving the session.
Camera and microphone
| Control | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Camera / background | In-session toolbar | Turn camera on/off; select or blur background at any time. |
| Microphone | In-session toolbar | Mute or unmute audio. |
| Email / text patient | Top right | Send the session link to the patient via email or SMS. |
| Chat | Top right | Open the in-session text chat panel. |
| Participants | Top right | View current participants and the waiting room. |
| Share screen | Top left | Share a specific tab, window, or your entire screen (practitioner only). |
Background blur
- In the lobby or during the call, click the blur icon in the toolbar.
- The blur is applied immediately and persists for the rest of the session.
- Click the icon again to turn blur off.
Virtual backgrounds
- Click the chevron (dropdown arrow) next to the blur icon to open the effects panel.
- You will see 9 tiles: No effect, Blur, and 7 virtual background previews.
- Click any tile to apply that effect immediately. Click No effect to return to your real background.
- We do not currently allow for custom backgrounds to be uploaded
In-session text chat
- Click Show Chat in the in-session toolbar to open the chat panel.
- Type your message and press Enter to send. Use Shift + Enter for a line break within a single message.
- Your own messages appear prefixed with Me:; messages from other participants are prefixed with their display name.
- Click Hide chat to collapse the panel — chat history remains available if you re-open it later in the session.
Screen sharing (practitioner only)
- Click Share Screen in the in-session toolbar.
- Pick the screen, window, or browser tab you want to share in the browser prompt.
- While sharing, the button changes to Stop Sharing — click it to end the share.
Sharing the session link mid-call
If a patient needs to share the session with someone else, they can forward the invitation email they received. You can also retrieve the link from Shortcuts → Logs → Email Logs and share it manually.
Participant and Session Limits
| Session type | Maximum participants | Maximum duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 telehealth call | 5 | 3 hours |
| Group video call | 20 | 3 hours |
When a room reaches its participant cap, additional users trying to join are rejected automatically without affecting those already in the session. The 2-hour limit applies per participant — if someone drops off and re-joins, their clock resets for that re-join.
Testing Video Chat
We highly recommend testing the video chat at least once before your first patient session to make sure you are comfortable using it.
If you want to test with yourself as a test patient, make sure you are not logged in as practitioner in the same browser — the practitioner and patient sessions cannot share a browser:
- The easiest approach is to use your computer for the practitioner side and your phone for the patient side.
- If testing on the same computer:
- Log out of your OptiMantra account before clicking the patient link, or
- Open the patient link in a different browser (for example, open the patient link in Firefox if you are logged into OptiMantra in Chrome).
Your test session is also a good opportunity to confirm your camera, microphone, blur, and virtual background tiles all work before going live with a real patient.
Videochatting While Charting
If you want to chart during a video call, open the video chat in one browser window and the patient chart in another, then position them side by side. You may need to adjust window sizes the first time to get the layout exactly the way you want it.
Troubleshooting
If you are having issues accessing the telehealth function in Chrome — such as a "could not connect to video server", "device in use" error, or "track must be a LocalAudioTrack, LocalVideoTrack, LocalDataTrack, or MediaStreamTrack" — try the following steps in order:
- Restart the device. This runs any outstanding updates. Then re-attempt.
- Update Chrome. Go to Chrome Settings → About Chrome and confirm Chrome is fully up to date.
- Check camera and microphone permissions. Go to Chrome Privacy and Security → Site Settings → Camera / Microphone and confirm a camera and microphone are connected and the correct devices are selected.
- Check the physical shutter. Some devices have a manual privacy shutter or a keyboard hotkey that covers the camera.
- On mobile devices, go to Device Settings → Privacy and Security → Camera / Microphone and confirm your browser has access.
- If none of the above resolve the issue, contact support and we can schedule time to review your device together.
VIDEO_CHAT_LINK keyword.Issues specific to the new video chat experience
| Symptom | What to try |
|---|---|
| Camera or microphone preview is blank in the lobby | Check your browser's site permissions for camera and mic (see steps above). Reload the lobby and re-grant access if prompted. |
| Blur or virtual background button is greyed out | Turn your camera on first — effects are disabled when the camera is off. |
| "Update name" button rejects the name | Display names must be between 4 and 49 characters. Shorten or lengthen as needed. |
| Patient cannot enter a password-protected group session | Confirm the patient is entering the password exactly as provided — passwords are case-sensitive. Re-send the link with the password included. |
| "Room full" error when joining | The participant limit has been reached (5 for 1:1, 20 for group). Have an existing participant leave before the new one tries to join. |
| Session ended unexpectedly after about 2 hours | This is the per-participant duration limit. Start a new session and re-share the link. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I or my patient need to install anything?
No. Both of you join from a browser — no plugin, app, or account is required. You need a current version of Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox with a working camera and microphone.
Will my previously-saved Zoom credentials still work for group calls?
Group video calls have moved off Zoom entirely. You no longer need Zoom credentials configured to host or join a group session.
Is the video encrypted?
Yes. The video chat uses encrypted media streams and the join links are tokenized so they cannot be reused after the session ends.
Can I record a session?
Recording is not included. If you need a recorded consultation, capture it using a local screen recorder and ensure you have obtained the appropriate patient consent beforehand.
What happens if I lose my internet connection during a call?
Your connection will drop, but the room stays open. Reload the join link and you will re-enter the same room — other participants remain connected throughout, assuming their connections held.
Can other staff members send the video link on behalf of the practitioner?
No. The practitioner and patient share a unique meeting room number, so the link must be sent by the practitioner (or via the Save & Notify button using the VIDEO_CHAT_LINK keyword). Links sent by other users will cause a room mismatch and the call will fail.
Can I change my background after joining the session?
Yes. You can update your background or toggle your camera at any time from the in-session toolbar.
How does a patient receive the session link?
Use the Email Link or Text Link to Patient buttons on the Video Chat page, or retrieve the link from Shortcuts → Logs → Email Logs and share it manually. You can also use the VIDEO_CHAT_LINK keyword in automated reminder and confirmation templates.
Can multiple practitioners host the same group session?
Yes. Share the Host Link (found in Manage Video Calls) with any additional practitioners you want to have host-level access.
What is the difference between the host link and the patient link?
The Host Link gives the joining user host-level controls. The Patient Link allows the user to join as a participant only. Always send patients the Patient Link — never the Host Link.
Disclaimers
- OptiMantra Video Chat is intended for live, real-time consultation between a practitioner and their patient. It is not a substitute for in-person assessment when one is clinically required.
- Sessions are not recorded by OptiMantra. If a recording is needed for clinical or compliance purposes, the practitioner is responsible for obtaining appropriate patient consent and using a separate recording tool.
- Video and audio quality depends on each participant's internet connection, device, and browser. OptiMantra does not guarantee call quality across all network conditions.
- Browser support is limited to current versions of Chrome with camera and microphone access granted. Older or unsupported browsers may not work.
- The participant and duration limits listed above are enforced by the underlying video platform and may be adjusted in future releases. Always check the latest version of this article for current limits.