If you’re busy, underinsured, uninsured, or living in a healthcare desert, going to the doctor for prescription medication can be a major inconvenience.
Setting aside hours of your day for an exceedingly brief physician visit is undeniably frustrating. What’s more, expensive co-pays or out-of-pocket visit costs can make getting the medication you need inordinately challenging.
Fortunately, recent advancements in telehealth have made quality healthcare and expert medical advice far more accessible than they’ve ever been.
Today, if a prescription is all you need, you may be able to get it written online, from the comfort of your home.
Keep in mind that some prescriptions and refills do require an office visit because certain conditions cannot be diagnosed or treated online. If you need medication for such a condition, a telehealth provider can refer you to the appropriate specialist.
What types of medications can you get through an online visit to the doctor? Here are several health concerns that can be addressed via telehealth.
Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions
If you’re currently living with or believe you may be suffering from depression, anxiety, or excessive stress, an online doctor can help. Telehealth physicians can also diagnose and treat sleep issues, addictive behaviors like alcohol overuse, and chronic fatigue.
When you schedule an online visit to the doctor for one of these conditions, you’ll receive high-quality, personalized primary care from a licensed physician. If you want to speak with a licensed therapist about a mental or behavioral health condition, you can do that online too.
If you’re dealing with a new concern, a telehealth doctor can perform a mental and emotional health assessment online. Depending on your needs, your doctor can write you a prescription for medication and send it to your local pharmacy. If you need ongoing support, your online doctor can provide that, too. If you need more intensive evaluation or services that can’t be provided online, your provider can give you a referral for in-person care.
Infections, Allergies, and Asthma
Do you think you may be dealing with a urinary tract infection or yeast infection? Are you worried you might have a sexually transmitted infection? Telehealth physicians can order certain types of at-home diagnostic tests that you can perform at home. If your test results come back positive, your online doctor can write you a prescription for the antibiotics you need.
Prescriptions for allergy and asthma medications can also be written online and sent to your preferred local pharmacy. Whether you need your regular refill or an evaluation and treatment for a burgeoning concern, you can get it via telehealth.
Chronic Health Conditions
If you live with diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, an online doctor can help you manage your condition. Telehealth physicians can also prescribe and manage medications for arthritis, chronic gastrointestinal disorders, thyroid conditions, and chronic bronchitis.
As with other online prescriptions, your provider will send your script to the local pharmacy of your choice for pickup. Many virtual healthcare services also provide patients with exclusive prescription discounts. If you have high co-pays or lack insurance, scheduling an online doctor visit may make your medications more affordable.
Sexual Health Concerns
Online doctors can diagnose and treat a wide variety of sexual health issues and can also prescribe birth control virtually. Whether you’re uncomfortable speaking about your concerns in person or need convenient and affordable sexual health advice, a telehealth provider can:
- Counsel you on your birth control options
- Prescribe the right type of contraceptive for your needs, including birth control pills, emergency contraception, and spermicides
- Diagnose and prescribe treatment for a variety of STIs, including herpes, genital warts, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis
- Diagnose and treat male sexual health conditions, such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, performance anxiety, and low libido
- Diagnose and treat female sexual health conditions, including bacterial overgrowth, unusual vaginal discharge, pelvic symptoms, vaginal itching, and libido deficiency
Certain sexual health issues may require an office visit for further medical evaluation. However, an online doctor can give you preliminary insight into such conditions and provide you with a specialist referral.
Skin and Hair Conditions
Do you suffer from acne? Are you dealing with hair loss? If so, you can get prescription medication for these issues through an online doctor visit. You can discuss your symptoms with a licensed doctor and get a virtual assessment from your provider.
If your physician believes a prescription-only medication can help resolve your condition, they’ll send your script to your preferred pharmacy. You can then pick up your medication within hours and continue to manage your medications with regular, virtual visits.
Advantages of Online Doctor Visits Versus In-Office Visit
Why opt for an online doctor visit over an in-office visit? Because virtual healthcare offers several benefits you simply can’t get with an in-person visit, including:
- Convenient scheduling. You have the ability to schedule appointments at times that work for you, so no rearranging your schedule for drive time, wait time, and the visit itself.
- Minimal wait times. You’ll speak with a licensed medical expert at the time of your scheduled appointment rather than sitting forever in a waiting room.
- At-home medical care. You’ll enjoy the convenience of getting expert medical advice from the comfort of your couch.
- Efficient evaluations and treatment.You can get an assessment, diagnosis, and prescription in far less time than it’d take you to see a doctor in person.
- Affordable healthcare. If you’re uninsured or uninsured, online doctor visits tend to be far less expensive than in-person care. If you carry health insurance, you can use your plan to help cover the cost of your visit and treatment.
Getting prescription medication for your health conditions shouldn’t be a hassle, and with telehealth, it doesn’t have to be. Whether you want to conveniently manage your existing medications or need treatment for a new concern, online doctor visits can simplify your medical care.