5 Benefits of Consulting with an Online Doctor

Decades ago, consulting with a doctor online would have seemed like a daydream. Nowadays, with advances in instant messaging and video conferencing software, online doctors are only a click away.

If you are a doctor and running your own practice operating online is a great way to reach and help new patients today. To get started you want to create an app and learn how to create an online booking system and then to successfully take things from there.

Some unfamiliar with this technology may not see this form of communication as ideal, but there are many benefits to consulting with online doctors. Let’s look at a few of them:

Convenience

In many cases, booking an appointment to see a doctor is strenuous. It may take hours, weeks, and days before you even meet the doctor. All you need to access an online health professional, however, is to enter a few details through an app and you can have a consultation on the same day. This method removes all the stress that comes with calling to book an appointment, driving to a hospital, and queuing before seeing your doctor. From your sofa or bed, you can have a doctor’s visit without ever leaving your home. And if you have a hectic schedule, the consultation will not interrupt your regular routine. 

Access to the Best Doctors

One concern about online consultations is that you may not get access to quality doctors, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you go with an experienced brand with a strict recruiting policy, you can rest easy knowing your doctor is licensed, trained, and certified. You’ll get the same high-quality expertise as an in-person visit. The range of services available online typically covers medical problems, including mental health, respiratory problems, infectious diseases, skin diseases, prescriptions, and medical certificates. If you will be needing treatment, you may be referred to a nearby walk-in clinic or urgent care clinic.

Identify Issues Early

Many medical issues get worse when they are not caught early. Because of all the stresses that come with booking an appointment with a doctor, many people postpone their doctor visits until they find some free time or the situation worsens. But with an online consultation, you can get a diagnosis and prescription in minutes. That helps you deal with any smaller health concerns you have before they turn into bigger issues. If the condition is already bad, an online doctor can detect it and give directions on the next steps. Online doctors may refer you to a nearby urgent care clinic or hospital, depending on your condition and the treatment that you need.

Instant Prescriptions and Referrals

Doctors can prescribe most of the common medications people use after an online consultation. Instead of queuing at a physician’s office for a diagnosis and prescription, an online doctor can get that done in a few minutes. This includes both existing and new medications. The best online healthcare companies also offer home delivery services for added convenience. Other times, prescriptions can be sent to a pharmacy of your choice for pickup. Additionally, online physicians can make referrals when a case requires the attention of a specialist. 

Cost Savings

Online health care is an excellent way to save money. According to the Health Affairs Journal, you can save nearly $90 each time you consult a doctor online instead of going for an in-person visit. Many online consultations are reasonably priced, and you can get a consultation for as low as $10. Depending on your service provider, there could be free consultations available for minors and packages for families. Always check the pricing lists carefully to ensure there are no treatment-specific prices, hidden fees, or weekend surcharges.

Maximum Confidentiality

Online healthcare services are responsible for ensuring that their systems are safe and secure to ensure patient confidentiality. Just like a regular doctor’s appointment, your conversation is only between you and your doctor: no unauthorized person has access to your sensitive information. 

For patients who are not comfortable discussing some medical conditions while in the presence of a doctor, online healthcare services provide added discretion. For the best experience, you can also check the safety of an e-fax and then choose your doctor from a list of available physicians. In case your computer freezes or the video stops, the medical professional can call you on your phone to complete the consultation.

Slowing the Spread of Infection

With the outbreak of COVID-19, many people have been forced to stay home. Remote work and online learning has suddenly become the norm, and telemedicine is following suit. Although health professionals will attend to you when you get to a hospital or clinic, there is an increased risk of transmitting the virus. Visiting in person puts you and others at risk of contracting COVID-19, or any other transmittable virus. Thus, staying home and getting access to medical care online is safer than visiting a clinic each time you don’t feel well, or have a health question for your doctor.  

Choose the Best Brand

Open the Android play store or the Apple Store, and you’ll discover hundreds of telemedicine applications. Choosing the best of the bunch can be a rather tricky task. However, there are several factors to look at when selecting your online health care service provider. First off, find out about the quality of doctors available. Look at the services they provide and what their prices are. An easy way to do this is to check their FAQ page. Bettr has an exhaustive FAQ page that answers a variety of questions on the mind of any online health care seeker. 

Meighan Sembrano

London based journalist Meighan Sembrano is an expert in beauty and skin related concerns and topics. She has contributed a vast range of research papers and features in the Health and Fitness field.