Tele-doc Experience
My wife, Kristine, got sick last weekend with strep throat. Since it was the weekend, the office was closed for the doctor she would normally see. She then went to urgent care in order to get seen, but the wait was 3 hours when she arrived.
While she was waiting, she was talking with her mom on her cell phone and her mom suggested checking out a "tele-doc" feature that many insurance carriers are now offering.
We have Blue Shield health insurance and do have this tele-doc option. In order to use the tele-doc service Kristine had to fill out an online application, complete a health survey, and then submitted her "case" to the doctor by taking a picture of her throat. A doctor then called back within 15 minutes, had a short conversation with Kristine to confirm a few things and talk through the symptoms. Once that was done, the doctor then called in a prescription to our local pharmacy and Kristine went over and picked it up right away.
Wow, how easy was that! The best part was that they only charge $5 for the service! What a savings from having to use the urgent care center that was going to take many hours and cost many multiples higher!
I am not sure how long this tele-doc service has been around or how many insurance carriers are providing this option, but it sure was fast and cheap which are adjectives I would never really use when discussing anything medical related!
I recommend everyone look into this and see if their insurance carrier offers something similar!
Since Kristine was out of commission, I had a few days of hard work watching and caring for both kids. Here is a picture from a brief moment of calm while I was on duty where Kristine was resting, my son was playing happily, and my daughter was sleeping in a swing... The rest was chaos of course!
Brian
Woah! What an amazing resource! Definitely beats waiting for three hours and the high markup of urgent care just to get a standard strep throat prescription.
I will definitely pass this info along to people I know! I am lucky because my dad is a doctor, and so I can always get a quick and easy prescription from him if I need it. For most people though, this could be a game changer!
I was surprised, but after thinking about it - it is probably saving the insurance company a ton of money as they would be covering part of the bill from the doctor you visit. By having their own doctor, they are only paying the in-house doctors so it has to be beneficial to them. Seems they are also taking on more risk though doing diagnoses themselves... that is convenient to have a dad as a doctor too!
You can not be more right!
Ooh interesting... I hadn’t thought about the financial benefit to the insurance company for providing this service. I guess it’s a win, win for everyone. Except maybe those emergency care doctors... but if they have a three hour wait, I think they are busy enough!
What this is amazing! I have a very similar story. My girlfriend has been sick since last friday, and as her coughing and sinuses got worse, we realized we had to go to the doctor.
So Monday, New Year's Day comes around, and after going to the walk in clinic, we discover that she paid the wrong amount on her health insurance and it was terminated starting January 1st!
So there we were with a decision to pay out of pocket or wait. Of course the insurance company was closed due to the holiday.
Turns out, next day we call them, and she had the amount wrong by $10...that's it! And on top of that, it would take five days to reinstate her insurance.
We ended up finding a walk in community clinic last night that got her a doctor's visit and an antibiotic prescription, for free. Well, we had to wait 3.5 hours, but at least she got her medicine!
I wish I would've known about this tele-doc!!
And are you referring to Blue Cross Blue Shield? That's who we have also.
Thanks for sharing man, glad she's doing better!
Much love,
Bryan
Wow, crazy man! Yes, Blue Cross Blue Shield (of California for me).... check it out!
Yeah I have read about a couple of services similar to that , some even have an app to have a video call with the doctor. It's definitely an area that could save lives when the technology is fully developed especially in developing countries where there are very few hospitals.
That video conferencing sounds like a game changer... i definately agree that could save so many lives! Technology can make things so efficient and more available! Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for the recommendation that everyone should look into their insurance carrier and offers something similar, thanks for sharing this will really help a lot,nice family.
In your country, a slightly different medical service ... I wish you that your wife soon coped with your illness and you coped easily and not with the inspection of your children, even if your family will only succeed and prosper
I'll definitely be checking into this! We have a 2 year old, and I always hate taking her into the doctors office, because there's not telling what germs are floating around in that waiting room.
That’s exactly right... exposing them to germs is a big risk just going there!
Wow this option sounds fantastic, I’m gonna have to see if my insurance covers this, with having 3 kids and wife workin the days I’m off it’s very hard to have “free time” for being able to go to the doctors, it’s such a headache to waiting in there and the kiddos screaming none stop 🙈
I hear you on that brother!
It really sounds great but the drawback, I think of is lack of hands on the patient and the difficulty obtaining labs and imaging. Subsequent follow up and continuity of care is also difficulty. Definitely an option for quick and simple care. Thanks for posting
brian.rrr!! Thank you, your Post.
Nice family.