The number of telehealth visits has exploded in the past year as people sought an alternative to in-person care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom has been one of the platforms used for these visits. A new Zoom feature allows for an improved virtual visit experience. 

By sending a link via text or email to patients, providers can eliminate the need for patients to download an app prior to their virtual visit. Providing a direct link for a virtual visit can mitigate a potential pain point for patients who might struggle with downloading an app or who simply do not want to add another app to their phone.

As telehealth has become more popular, organizations have looked for ways to improve the experience for patients. While most patients have been satisfied with their virtual experience, both patients and providers saw that a mobile browser would improve the experience. This new feature is designed with that in mind.

At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, 65% of people in the US had concerns about the quality of telehealth, and 56% of them thought the level of care in a virtual visit would be less than with an in-person visit. A year later, almost 90% of Americans wanted to continue virtual visits for nonurgent care and 80% believe they can receive quality care during a virtual visit.

Currently, this new feature is only available for iOS in a beta version.