Overview

You can now use both Cerbo's native telemedicine system and Zoom to schedule video calls in Cerbo. This article reviews some of the differences between the Cerbo native telemedicine system and Zoom.


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Details

Cerbo's native telemedicine system is fully web-based, with nothing to download on either side. The Zoom integration allows you to schedule video calls via your own Zoom account when adding an appointment in Cerbo. With either integration, you can associate a video link with a specific appointment. And you can send that video link to the patient as part of their appointment notification and reminder(s).


Differences in Creating the video link

  • Cerbo telemedicine - the checkbox to create and associate a Cerbo telemedicine call can be auto-checked based on the appointment type. That is set up for specific appointment types under Admin > Manage > Schedule Types. 
  • Zoom - the checkbox to create and associate a Zoom link for an appointment must be manually checked for each appointment when adding the appointment to the calendar.

Differences in Sharing the video link

  • Cerbo telemedicine - for appointments that have a Cerbo telemedicine video link associated, the video link is automatically included in the email notification, email and SMS reminders, and posted on the patient portal.
  • Zoom - to include the Zoom link for an appointment, you must have the [[zoom_link]] text variable in the notification and/ or reminder messages. That would be added under Admin > Manage > Schedule Types > Manage Default Notifications. If you are using Cerbo telemedicine and Zoom, you would need to have different appointment types for your Zoom appointments. And to set the default messages for the Zoom appointment type(s) to include that variable.


A Note about Transitioning from Cerbo Telemedicine to Zoom or Vice Versa

If you are currently using Cerbo Telemedicine and want to transition to using Zoom, we'd recommend a gradual transition. During this transition, new video calls would be scheduled in Zoom. But you would continue using Cerbo Telemedicine for all already-scheduled calls. Unfortunately, there is not a way for Cerbo to convert Cerbo Telemedicine calls to Zoom calls. And all patients who have already received the initial notification will have already received the Cerbo Telemedicine link. 


Alternately, you could cancel those upcoming Cerbo Telemedicine calls, and re-schedule the appointments with the Zoom link. You would want to clearly communicate to patients whose appointments were converted in this way what you are doing, in case they go back to the initial notification email to try to join the originally-scheduled video call via Cerbo. You might do a combination of these approaches: scheduling all new appointments in Zoom while continuing to do already-scheduled Cerbo telemed appointments for a period of time. And then manually cancelling/ re-adding appointments that were scheduled for further off.