> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rxscale.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Waiting Room

> How to use the virtual waiting room for patient consultations

# Waiting Room

The virtual waiting room lets you manage patient queues for video consultations. Patients can register for a consultation and wait in a queue until a doctor is available to see them.

## How the Waiting Room Works

The waiting room is a virtual queue system that connects patients with doctors for video consultations. Here is the basic flow:

```
Patient registers for consultation
            |
            v
   Patient enters waiting room
            |
            v
   Patient waits in queue
            |
            v
   Doctor picks up patient
            |
            v
   Video consultation begins
```

## Registering Patients

Patients can be registered for a waiting room consultation in two ways:

* **Self-registration** -- Patients register themselves through your patient-facing application.
* **API registration** -- You register patients programmatically using the Management API.

When a patient is registered, they are placed in the waiting room queue. They can see their position in the queue and estimated wait time.

## Queue Management

The waiting room queue is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. As a telemedicine provider, you can:

* **View the queue** -- See all patients currently waiting for a consultation.
* **Monitor wait times** -- Track how long patients have been waiting.
* **Manage capacity** -- Control the number of doctors available to take consultations.

Doctors pick up patients from the queue through their Doctor Portal. When a doctor selects a patient, the video consultation starts immediately.

## Video Consultation Integration

The waiting room integrates directly with the video meeting feature in the Doctor Portal. Once a doctor picks up a patient from the queue:

1. The video call is initiated automatically.
2. Both the patient and doctor are connected.
3. The doctor can conduct the consultation, review medical history, and make prescription decisions.
4. After the consultation, the doctor can proceed with prescription review and approval if needed.

<Info>
  The video consultation feature requires patients to have a modern web browser and grant camera and microphone permissions.
</Info>

## Setting Up the Waiting Room

To set up the waiting room for your organisation:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Configure the waiting room">
    Work with your RxScale account manager to enable and configure the waiting room feature for your organisation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up doctor availability">
    Ensure that doctors in your organisation are available to pick up consultations from the queue. This is managed through the Doctor Portal.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Integrate patient registration">
    Use the Management API to register patients for consultations programmatically, or set up self-registration in your patient-facing application.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor and optimise">
    Track queue metrics like average wait time and consultation duration to optimise your staffing and scheduling.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Manage doctor availability">
    Ensure enough doctors are available to handle the queue during peak hours. Long wait times can frustrate patients and lead to drop-offs.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Set patient expectations">
    Let patients know their estimated wait time when they enter the queue. Clear communication reduces frustration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use off-peak scheduling">
    If possible, encourage patients to schedule consultations during off-peak hours to reduce wait times for everyone.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related Topics

* [Management API Waiting Room](/api-reference/management/waiting-room) -- API reference for waiting room endpoints.
* [Video Meetings (For Doctors)](/for-doctors/video-meetings) -- How doctors join video consultations.