Other Names, Uses, What to Expect

When Is an Online Doctor’s Appointment Used?

There are some situations in which an online doctor’s appointment can be useful:

• Follow-up appointments
  • Doctors can check in with patients and make adjustments to medications or other care
  • Medication management for patients who have chronic conditions that require prescription medication
• Counseling and education
• Behavioral health services
  • These are usually talk-based and do not require a physical examination
• Health screening
  • With COVID and other transmissible illnesses, telehealth can help reduce the potential for spreading infection
• Rural specialty care
  • Many rural settings do not have specialty medical providers locally
  • This allows rural patients to connect with a hospital or health care provider hundreds of miles away

Online doctor’s appointments would not be appropriate for all kinds of doctor visits, such as:

• New patient visits
• Conditions for which a physical examination is required
• Post-op care
• When certain medical procedures are needed

What Is Needed for an Online Doctor’s Appointment?

An online doctor’s appointment requires a high-speed internet connection. In addition, patients should have:

• Video access through a computer, tablet, or smartphone
• Any app used by the healthcare provider to connect, which should be downloaded before the appointment
• A mobile phone or a landline phone as a backup option if the internet connection is lost during the virtual visit