Power Diary is upgrading Telehealth services to Zoom, replacing Telehealth Lite and Plus+. Expect better stability, unlimited sessions, and more features with Zoom Telehealth Basic (free), Zoom Telehealth Pro and Zoom BYO options.
Power Diary currently offers two Telehealth services: Telehealth Lite and Telehealth Plus+. Telehealth Lite provides a basic 1-1 video service at no additional charge, while Telehealth Plus+ offers more advanced features, such as group appointments and longer session times, for a per-minute fee. Both services are powered by Twilio, using WebRTC technology, which was a great solution when these features were introduced.
Due to limitations of WebRTC, which is used to run the Twilio service, we’re transitioning our Telehealth services to Zoom Telehealth Basic and Zoom Telehealth Pro, ensuring that your Telehealth services remain uninterrupted while offering a more reliable and feature-rich experience.
Additionally, we’re developing a Zoom BYO (Bring Your Own) option in response to customer requests. This feature will allow users to integrate their existing Zoom licenses for use in Power Diary.
Related Articles:
- Embracing the Future of Telehealth with Power Diary and Zoom
- Upcoming Changes to Telehealth Services In-Detail
- Managing Zoom Telehealth Pro Sessions
In this article:
What This Means for Your Practice
What This Means for Your Practice
We understand that this change means some users will now incur a charge for Telehealth sessions, including those currently using the Telehealth Lite service for calls over 40 minutes.
To help with this transition, we’re keeping the monthly cost per practitioner for Zoom Telehealth Pro as low as possible.
In many cases, the cost of using the new Zoom Telehealth Pro will be lower than the cost of a separate Zoom Telehealth subscription. For example, a solo practitioner in the United States will save about $50 per year using the new integration over a separate Zoom Telehealth subscription. A solo practitioner in Australia can expect save over $130 per year. See the chart below for the cost breakdown.
You won’t need a separate Zoom license to use this functionality. Your workflow will remain the same. Power Diary will still automatically create Telehealth links, and all previous links will continue to work, including the current Telehealth Lite link, which will continue to work with the new Zoom telehealth functionality.
The Savings Are Real!
Features of Zoom Telehealth
Zoom Telehealth Basic (Free):
- 4 Free Zoom Telehealth Pro sessions per practitioner/per month.
- Powered by Zoom for improved connectivity and reliability.
- Free unlimited 40-minute group sessions with up to 20 participants, plus a practitioner.
Zoom Telehealth Pro (Flat rate cost/month/per practitioner) – Advanced Features:
- Powered by Zoom with no session time limits.
- Supports multiple practitioners and participants, ideal for longer group consultations.
- Access to advanced Zoom features such as:
- Group sessions with up to 20 participants plus a practitioner.
- Audio sharing for media files.
- Screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, captions, whiteboards, file sharing, and in-app chat.
- Use Zoom Desktop App or browser without requiring client downloads.
Zoom BYO (Bring Your Own) Telehealth:
- Coming Soon: Integrate your existing Zoom account with Power Diary.
- Anticipated Release: Early 2025
- Utilize the features and functionality associated with your Zoom account.
Telehealth Pricing
Pricing for Zoom Telehealth Pro
Pricing per practitioner/month:
- US: $9
- UK: £7
- EU: €9
- NZ: $9 NZD
- AU: $9 AUD + GST
- CA: $9 CAD
- ZA: R160
- World: $9 USD
To enable Zoom Telehealth Pro:
- Navigate to Settings > Communication > Communication Options and turn on the Enable Telehealth Pro switch. Save the changes.
- OR, navigate to Settings > Practice > Subscription > Optional Add-Ons. Click 'Enable Telehealth Pro' and confirm the action.
Telehealth Pro Billing:
- Telehealth Pro subscription will be billed together with your account subscription for the upcoming month, on a monthly basis.
- If you enabled Telehealth Pro in the middle of your billing cycle, we will bill pro-rata for the remaining days in the cycle and for the full upcoming month, at your next billing date.
Pricing for Zoom Telehealth Basic
- 4 Telehealth Pro sessions / per practitioner / per month
- Free, unlimited 40-Minute Telehealth sessions
Zoom Telehealth Basic will be available in all Power Diary accounts by default. Once the 4 available unlimited sessions have been used, you will be limited to 40-min sessions. Should you need to use more unlimited sessions, you will need to enable the Telehealth Pro as instructed above.
Zoom BYO (Bring Your Own) Telehealth:
This feature will allow you to integrate your existing Zoom account directly into our telehealth platform. There will be no additional cost for integrating this feature.
Our BYO Zoom application is currently in development and awaiting approval from Zoom. We anticipate completion by early 2025.Why Zoom?
Zoom is the world’s leading telehealth platform, known for its stability, user-friendly interface, and advanced features. This change ensures smoother performance and an enhanced virtual care experience.
We're Here for You
We understand that changes like this can raise questions. Our support team is here to assist you every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need any help or have feedback. You can send your queries to support@powerdiary.com.
FAQs:
- Why is Power Diary making these changes? Telehealth Lite and Telehealth Plus+ are powered by Twilio. Twilio’s decision to discontinue their video-sharing service prompted us to transition to Zoom, ensuring a more reliable and feature-rich telehealth solution.
- What happens to my existing Telehealth Lite or Telehealth Plus+ account? Telehealth Lite will automatically transition to Zoom Telehealth Basic, a free option with 40-minute session limits and group sessions. Telehealth Plus+ users will now have access to Zoom Telehealth Pro, with unlimited session times and additional advanced features at a flat, low monthly price per practitioner. See pricing here.
- Will I be charged for Zoom Telehealth Pro? Yes, Zoom Telehealth Pro is available with flat rate pricing (see pricing here), offering unlimited session time and additional advanced features.
Calls lasting 40 minutes or less do not require us to allocate a Zoom license, allowing us to support these calls for free. Calls longer than 40 minutes require us to allocate a license, which incurs significant costs. We provide 4 x full-length free calls per month for lite users of telehealth, and for those who use telehealth for more than this, the fee helps offset the costs we incur for providing this service. We do not and will not make any profit from providing these services. - Will I need to change how I schedule sessions?
No. You will continue to generate telehealth links directly through Power Diary, just as you do now. - Will I need to download Zoom?
No, but we recommend downloading the Zoom Desktop App for optimal performance and additional features. You can download it here. - Do clients need to download Zoom?
Clients do not need to download Zoom on most devices; they can quickly join the appointment using their browser, regardless of whether they use the desktop app.
When they open their session link, they can choose how to join the session:
- What if I am using Telehealth Lite?
Telehealth Lite will transition to Zoom Telehealth Basic at the time when Telehealth Pro is fully released, offering 4 complimentary Zoom Telehealth Pro sessions per practitioner each month and unlimited free 40-minute sessions. - Can Zoom Telehealth Pro be turned off if I’m not using it ?
You will be able to turn off the Zoom Telehealth Pro add-on via Settings > Communication > Communication Options. if you stop using it. - How can I change or modify my subscription?
You can manage your subscription through Settings > Communication > Communication Options. - What happens if Zoom Telehealth Pro fails to launch while in Beta?
Practitioners will have the option to launch Telehealth Plus+ if there is an issue during the Beta release. We will monitor these issues and make the appropriate fixes to the software. The Telehealth link will automatically adapt for the client, reflecting the service the provider has chosen. - Can I use my own Zoom account?
Currently, you cannot port your personal Zoom account into our integrated telehealth system. Our Zoom Telehealth Pro subscription is tied to the platform and is more affordable than many external Zoom plans. However, this will be available in the future. - Is Zoom secure?
Yes, Zoom is highly secure and trusted worldwide. You can view all of Zoom’s security and compliance features here: Zoom Security Features. - Are Power Diary Zoom Telehealth Basic and Pro secure?
Zoom Telehealth Pro and Basic Privacy & Security Compliance
Zoom Telehealth Pro and Basic both adhere to crucial privacy and security standards necessary for healthcare, including psychology, on a global scale and within Australia. Here’s how they maintain compliance:
Australian Privacy Principles (APPs): Power Diary adheres to these principles for collecting, storing, and sharing personal information. Zoom Telehealth Pro and Basic employ encryption and security features to protect client data, ensuring compliance. - Data Encryption: We use Enhanced encryption during telehealth sessions. This guarantees that all information shared during video consultations remains private, safeguarding sensitive health and psychological data.
When the Zoom BYO feature is released, users will be able to set end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in their Zoom account settings. Be mindful, that enabling E2EE will disable the following in-meeting features:- AI Companion features
- Breakout rooms*
- *Note: If you want to use breakout rooms in end-to-end encrypted meetings, submit a request to Zoom Support to have this feature enabled. Each breakout room will have its own unique meeting encryption key.
- Cloud recording
- Continuous meeting chat
- Join before host
- Live streaming
- Live transcription
- Polling and Surveys
- Zoom Apps
- Zoom Notes
- Zoom Whiteboard
HIPAA and HITECH Compliance: Zoom Telehealth Pro and Basic meet HIPAA and HITECH standards, ensuring strong protection of personal health information. Although HIPAA is a U.S. regulation, it is recognised globally for healthcare data security.
Third-Party Vendor Assessment: Before integrating Zoom as a third-party into our platform, Power Diary performed a detailed security and compliance review. This confirmed that Zoom’s privacy measures align with Australian laws, including the Privacy Act and ACSC Guidelines. As a result, we can confidently state that Zoom Telehealth Pro and Basic fully comply with all Australian privacy and security regulations.
ISO 27001 Certification: Power Diary is ISO 27001 certified, an internationally recognised standard for information security management. This certification further demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the highest level of security measures necessary to protect sensitive client information. -
How do I apply for extra Zoom sessions after using the four free sessions?
Users with admin settings can toggle Telehealth Pro on at any time. Starting November 1st, you’ll also have the option to toggle Telehealth Pro for individual practitioners. The first month after the billing starts will be charged on a pro-rata basis, and subsequent charges will be included in the regular billing cycle. -
What should I do if I've already paid for a year of Zoom? Can I still access the free sessions or extra features?
When using Zoom Telehealth sessions through Power Diary, the sessions are covered under the Power Diary license, not your personal Zoom license. You are still eligible to access the free sessions provided by Power Diary’s Zoom Telehealth Basic. -
How can customers track their four free Pro sessions?
Here is an example of a system notification which advises a user/practitioner that they used up the 4 free unlimited sessions available with their Telehealth Basis subscription, and prompts their next steps:
We will provide both call logs and a table that indicates how many Pro sessions have been used by practitioners not subscribed to Zoom Telehealth Pro.
A practitioner will need to select which mode they need to use, before they start a session. Should they select to use the Pro call, and it lasted less than 10 minutes (e.g., for testing or no-shows), the session will not count toward the free Pro session limit..png?width=651&height=402&name=Basic%20No%20Pro%20Rmaining%20-%20Accept%20Upgrade%20(1).png)
An account owner and users with access to the Settings springboard, will have an overview of the Pro/unlimited calls used by each practitioner with Telehealth Basic subscription in a current billing cycle:.png?width=688&height=524&name=TH%20Practitioner%20Information%20(1).png)
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How can we differentiate Zoom links for free Pro sessions from those for Basic sessions?
There will be no difference in the Zoom link itself. Before starting the call, the practitioner will be informed of the session type, and it will also be visible in the Zoom interface if it is a 40-minute Basic session. (Please note, this will take effect after the full release. During the Beta phase, all calls will be Pro sessions.) -
I’ve toggled the Telehealth Plus button on. Is there anything else I need to do to ensure I’m using the Pro version of Zoom?
No additional action is required. Telehealth Plus will automatically transition to Zoom Telehealth Pro Beta on October 1st. You can manually switch back to Telehealth Plus while Zoom Telehealth Pro is in Beta if needed. -
Will the current telehealth links for Zoom remain the same, or will new Zoom links be generated?
The current Telehealth links will remain the same when Zoom Telehealth is released, ensuring that no workflows in your account are disrupted. -
Do we need to update communication templates and reminders with a new Zoom link merge field?
No, the system will automatically resolve and use the current links without any need for manual updates to templates or reminders. -
What happens if a free 40-minute Zoom session cuts off? Can customers rejoin the session using the same link?
Yes, both the practitioner and the customer can simply rejoin the session using the same link.
- Who has access to the content of the session?
We use Enhanced encryption during telehealth sessions. This guarantees that all information shared during video consultations remains private, safeguarding sensitive health and psychological data. - Zoom Telehealth Session Access: Browser vs. App - Is there a difference between using Zoom in the app versus the browser for Power Diary telehealth sessions?
Yes, there are a few differences between using Zoom in the app and the browser:
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Zoom Apps Availability
- Browser Access: If you start a Power Diary Zoom telehealth session in a browser, you won’t have access to the Zoom Apps (such as productivity or collaboration tools) that enhance session interactions.
- App Access: Starting a session from the Zoom Desktop or Mobile App allows you to use your favorite Zoom Apps for an enhanced session experience.
- More information about Zoom Apps: Zoom Apps
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Mobile Device Access
- Practitioners: To start a Power Diary Zoom telehealth session from any mobile device, you must use the Zoom App. This is a requirement enforced by Zoom.
- Desktop or Laptop: Practitioners using a desktop or laptop can start sessions in either the Zoom App or browser.
- Clients: Clients have more flexibility and can join Zoom sessions in the browser on all types of devices, including mobile.
- Custom Session Settings.
- When you use Zoom App for Power Diary telehealth sessions, you can set up and save your session preferences, such as a background, video settings, etc.
- Using a browser for access, you will need to adjust the settings before each session.
This setup allows for a flexible experience, ensuring compatibility across devices while providing added functionality through the Zoom App on desktops and mobiles.
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