It’s My First Time To Consult a Doctor Online – How Do I Do it?
If you are sick, you go and see your family doctor. It has been like this for as long as you can remember, but now, things have changed. The global coronavirus outbreak modified the way how people interact with each other in public, and this included something as simple as going to a doctor’s appointment.
Nowadays, if you are feeling sick, you will want to avoid hospitals because it is one of the high-risk areas for coronavirus infection. It is understandable if you will consider looking for a doctor offering online consultations. The problem is, it is your first time to do it.
Online clinics have been popular for the past months because of the Covid-19 outbreak. They offer virtual healthcare – meaning, it connects a patient to a healthcare provider through the internet via digital means.
So how does an online consultation work?
Choose an online clinic
First, find a website or a mobile application offering online health care services. If you already have an online clinic in mind, you can connect to it through your laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. If you do not have any idea where to go, you can always search for an online doctor BC website in your internet browser. Soliciting recommendations from friends and family is also a good idea so that you can hear feedback.
Fill in personal information
There are virtual clinic websites that require you to register in their system first before you can avail of any service. Others ask you about your personal information and symptoms as you request for a doctor. No matter how they obtain data, you would not have to worry about confidentiality because these websites are also required to secure the information of their clients.
Tell the online clinic about your symptoms
After giving the necessary personal information, the next thing you have to do is to describe your symptoms. Depending on the website interface, you may start with clicking or choosing from among the list of symptoms provided and then writing more in detail when you press next. Once you have completed reporting about your illness, you can click the book appointment or find a doctor button so that you will be connected to a physician.
Wait for the doctor
After you have submitted your symptoms, you will be immediately connected with an online doctor, who will evaluate your information. The good thing about virtual clinics is that you can cut back the waiting time that you usually spend when you visit an actual clinic. You can connect a doctor in as early as two minutes, depending on the online quick care center you are visiting. You will not have to shell out money if your insurance covers online check-ups. If you are not covered, you have to pay for the consultation fee. The good news is, virtual check-ups with online doctors are usually cheaper than the traditional clinic visitations.
Listen to advice, diagnosis, and recommended treatment
A doctor will go over your symptoms list and concern and analyze if it is something that he or she can help you with. If it is, you will be connected through audio call, video call, or chat. This will then be considered as a successful visit and you will be charged accordingly. Since you are speaking directly to each other, the physician may ask further questions to come up with a diagnosis. He or she will then explain your symptom or illness and advice you on what to do.
If an online doctor assessed your symptoms and determined that it is not something an online clinic can help you with, you will be prompted accordingly and may be referred to your family doctor or the hospital emergency room, as the case may be. If your symptom is not covered by the center, you will not be connected to a virtual physician so you will not be charged anything.
Receive your online prescription
Online doctors can also issue prescriptions – and yes, they are in digital form. Some other applications or clinics offer referrals to the nearest pharmacy so that you can purchase your medicines. Once connected with a pharmacy, you have the option to pick up your meds or have them delivered to you.
With the power of digital technology, receiving healthcare reached another growth potential. The internet reshaped the health-related processes that we once knew and offered a way for patients to communicate with licensed health providers without leaving the comfort of their homes.
Visiting online clinics for the first time may be daunting for some, but once you get the hang of it, it is a fairly easy process. The user-friendly interface of websites and applications offering virtual healthcare makes it easier for people to gain access to the specific help that they need. Need a doctor to check your symptom? Consult one online today.
