đĽď¸ For clients using the Oasys portal on the web. Using the iPhone app? See Joining a telehealth session.
This article shows you how to join a video (telehealth) session from your portal or a guest link, what happens in the waiting room, how to use the call controls, and what to do if something goes wrong.
In this article
1. Before your session
A few quick checks make joining smooth.
Check that your appointment card says Telehealth. Phone and In-Person appointments can't be joined by video.
Use an up-to-date browser on a device with a camera and microphone.
Use a stable Wi-Fi connection if you can.
Sign in early so you have time to finish any Documents your provider asked you to complete before the visit.
If you manage more than one account, use Switch account to pick the person the appointment belongs to.
2. Joining from your portal
You join video sessions from your appointment card.
Go to Appointments (on a phone, Appts in the bottom bar).
Find today's telehealth session. When it can be joined, the card is outlined in green.
Click Join Now. It's available from 15 minutes before the start time until the scheduled end time.
Check your camera and microphone on Camera & Microphone Check. Allow access when your browser asks. You can turn your camera or microphone off here, and choose a different camera or microphone if your device has more than one.
Click Join Session. You'll briefly see Connecting to Session.
Join Now isn't shown before the 15-minute window, after the scheduled end, for Phone or In-Person appointments, while a request is waiting (Reschedule Pending, Awaiting Approval or Cancellation Pending), or once your provider has finished the session.
When Join Now isn't available, the card shows a calendar icon instead (Download Invite). Use it to add the appointment to your own calendar.
Group telehealth sessions show Group: and the group name on the card. You join them the same way.
đĄ Tip: The camera check screen notes that your session may be transcribed to help your provider with clinical note-taking. Oasys doesn't record your session. It only creates a transcript to help with their note. Ask your practice how long transcripts are kept.
3. The waiting room
If your provider isn't in the session yet, you wait in the Waiting Room.
You'll see "Waiting for your therapist to join..." until they arrive.
Some sessions need your provider to let you in. Then you'll see "Waiting for the host to admit you..." until they do.
Keep the page open. Chat and screen sharing aren't available until you're in the session.
If it's past the start time and you're still waiting, message your provider.
4. Joining as a guest
Sometimes you're given a direct session link, for example for someone joining without a portal account.
Open the link.
Check the screen. If you aren't signed in, you'll see Join Therapy Session: "Please enter your name to join the session as a guest."
Enter your name in Your name.
Click Join Session, then complete the camera and microphone check.
Wait for your provider to let you in, if asked.
Guests aren't taken into the client portal when the call ends. They go to the Oasys get-started page instead.
5. During your session
The controls at the bottom of the call let you manage your audio and video.
On any device
Turn your microphone and camera on or off.
Open the chat (Show chat) to type messages in Session Chat.
Switch between light and dark mode.
Click Leave session. You'll be asked to confirm, and you can rejoin if needed.
On a computer
Open Audio settings to choose your microphone when you have more than one, and to turn on Reduce background noise.
Choose a different speaker with Select speaker when you have more than one.
Choose a different camera with Select camera when you have more than one.
Use Virtual Background to blur your background or pick a background image.
Hide or show your own video with Hide self and Show self.
Share your screen with Share screen.
đĄ Tip: Reduce background noise filters hums and room noise from your microphone. It's off until you turn it on, and it only affects your own microphone. Turn it off if you're playing music or using bells.
If your provider drops out, a banner says your provider has left the call and may rejoin shortly. Stay in the session. If they end it, you'll be told.
6. When the session ends
You'll see a short notice when the call ends.
If your provider ends the session, you'll see Session Ended with "Returning to dashboard in N seconds...", and you're taken back automatically.
If you leave yourself, you'll see "You have left the therapy session."
On an error screen, click Try Again, or Return to Dashboard (Return to Home if you joined as a guest) if that's what it offers.
After a completed session, you can click Rate Session on its card in Appointments. See Your appointments.
7. Troubleshooting
Find what you're seeing in the table, then try the fix.
What you see | Try this |
No Join Now button | Check the card says Telehealth. Wait until 15 minutes before the start. Check the appointment isn't Awaiting Approval or Reschedule Pending. Refresh the page, and check you're on the right account with Switch account. |
"Checking session access..." or "Could not check session access." | If you have a care team, Oasys checks you can enter the session before showing Join Now. Wait a moment, or click Retry session access. If it keeps failing, contact your practice. |
Unable to Join Session: "Session information is not available. Please try again later." | Wait a minute and try again. If it keeps happening, contact your provider. |
Camera Access Blocked or Microphone Access Blocked | Follow the on-screen steps for your browser or device to allow access, then click Try Again. For a camera problem, you can also click Continue with Audio Only. |
Camera In Use or Microphone In Use | Close other apps using it (such as Zoom, Teams or FaceTime), then click Try Again. |
Camera Not Found or Microphone Not Found | Check the device is connected, then click Try Again. |
Stuck in the Waiting Room | Your provider may not have joined or let you in yet. Stay on the page. Message them if it's past the start time. |
"Your access request was denied." | Your provider didn't let you in. Contact them. |
"Your therapist did not respond in time. Please try again." or "We could not complete your admission. Please rejoin." | Click Join Now again. |
Black or blank video | Check your device's privacy settings allow camera access. Turn your camera off and on in the call controls. Turn off any VPN for a moment. |
You can hear but not see, or the other way round | Choose your camera, microphone or speaker again in the call controls or your browser's site settings. Restart your browser. |
Session Error, Error Joining Session or Video Call Error | Note the time and any message on screen. Try again in another browser, such as Chrome or Edge. Contact your provider to resend the join link. |
Joined as the wrong person | Leave the session, use Switch account, then click Join Now from that account's Appointments. |
It's a Phone appointment | Phone sessions have no video Join Now. Follow the phone instructions your provider gave you. |
Still can't join?
Message your provider in Messages (if your practice uses messaging) or call your practice. Tell them:
The appointment date and time.
Whether you're signed in or using a guest link.
Your browser and device.
The exact error message, if any.
â ď¸ Important: Don't create a second Oasys account to get into a video session. It won't fix access to the session and it complicates your records.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't the Join button there yet?
Join Now appears 15 minutes before the start time and goes away at the scheduled end. Until then you'll see the Download Invite calendar icon instead.
I got "Unable to Join Session". What do I do?
The session details may not be ready yet. Wait a moment and try again. If it keeps happening, contact your provider. Phone sessions have no video join.
I joined, but I'm just waiting. Is something wrong?
No. You're in the Waiting Room until your provider joins or lets you in. Keep the page open.
Can I join from my phone's browser?
Yes. The same Join Now steps work in a mobile browser. Screen sharing, background effects, hiding your self view and noise reduction are only on a computer. You can also join from the Oasys iPhone app.
Is my session recorded?
No. Oasys doesn't record sessions. Your session may be transcribed to help your provider write their note. Ask your practice how long transcripts are kept.