Learning Center . Learning Insurance . Seeing A Doctor From Home

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Icon of a smartphone displaying a medical professional with a stethoscope.

Seeing a Doctor from Home

Learn about scheduling telehealth doctor visits using a phone or computer

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine is a doctor’s visit on a computer, smart phone, or tablet. They can help with:

  • Diagnosing your illness

  • Ordering blood tests, x-rays, or other tests

  • Ordering prescription drugs

  • Help with mental health concerns

  • Manage chronic conditions and medications

  • Help with drug or alcohol abuse

Icons of telehealth care. Icon on the left is of a person sitting at a computer with a doctor on screen, and icon on the right is of a person navigating their phone screen while communicating with a doctor.

Other ways to get care:

  • Call your clinic and ask if you can get a same day visit, or talk with a doctor.

  • If you have insurance, call your insurance company’s 24-hour nurse hotline.

  • Go to an urgent care clinic

If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go the emergency room.

If you need to talk to someone right away:

Why use telemedicine?

Telemedicine is fast, easy, and usually costs less than in-person visits. You can do it from home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can talk to specialists who don’t live near you. You can talk to:

  • Doctors

  • Mental health and substance abuse professionals

  • Specialists

  • Nurses

  • Midwives

Depending on your condition, you may still need to go to an in-person appointment for physical tests and follow-ups.

A doctor having a video call on a laptop with a patient holding a medicine bottle. The doctor is wearing glasses and a white lab coat, sitting at a desk in a modern office with plants, shelves, and medical supplies.

How do I use telemedicine?

What you will need:

  • A smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera and high speed internet access.

  • A debit or credit card to pay for the visit.

  • Either the app from your doctor’s office, or their website so you can join the virtual visit.

  • You may need to take a picture for the doctor to see

A person in purple clothing talking on a cell phone, with a thought bubble showing a doctor in a white coat with a stethoscope.

How do I find it?

Call a clinic near you and ask if they do telemedicine. They may have their own website, system, or app.

A smartphone used as a flashlight to examine a skin lesion with red bumps on a person's hand.

How do I use it?

In the app or on the website, you will be asked to pick the type of doctor you need and to pick from a list of symptoms you are experiencing.

Doctor on a video call seen on a computer screen

Are you a veteran?

You can go to https://connectedcare.va.gov/ for telehealth care.

Your Online Chart

What is an online chart?

An online chart is the Electronic Health Record that has all of your health information on it. Most doctors don’t use paper charts anymore. Your information is protected in the online chart, and you can find it by calling your doctor’s office and asking if they use an online chart, often called a patient portal.

What can I do with my online chart?

Through your online chart you can:

  • Make appointments

  • Get test results

  • Ask for prescription drugs

  • Pay a bill

  • Have an e-visit with your doctor

An e-visit is a doctor visit by email during normal clinic hours. The doctor usually will respond within 2 hours.

Digital communication between two computers with email messages
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You can download a printable PDF of this information

Click the image to download a copy in English and Spanish.

Informational poster about telemedicine consultations, explaining what a video consultation is, benefits of using videoconference with healthcare professionals, cost, and emergency contact information, with icons of a doctor on a computer, a smartphone, and a house.