Your child calls out in the night.
“I don’t feel good,” you hear.
He’s hot and sweaty and heads to the bathroom. It's 3am, yet you’re up with your child in the bathroom in-between vomiting, and you have an early meeting.
“Will any of us get sleep tonight?” you wonder.
A sudden sickness in a child can add a lot of stress to a parent who just wants to make their child feel better. Will he throw up in the car on the way to the doctor?
Don’t put your sick child in the car; there is a better option! A telehealth consultation can give you a medical assessment at home. Your family can get the care it needs quickly without having to pay for a costly middle-of-the-night visit to the ER. A board certified doctor will meet you via phone or secure online video and can send in a prescription without you ever leaving home.
Not leaving home with a sick child is priceless!
What is Telehealth?
The convenience of telehealth provides virtual medical care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Now that’s around the clock availability! And you can access a heath care professional from anywhere so if you’re at home sick, you can stay there. If you’re traveling, you can call instead of scrambling to find a provider in a strange city.
All virtual consultations comply with the law to keep your protected health information safe. Telehealth providers vary in cost per visit (around $40-50 per visit), but many health plans now offer telehealth as a benefit.
When is telehealth a good choice?
- Ideal for non-emergencies. The top uses of telehealth are:
- Sinusitis
- Pharyngitis - sore throat
- Upper respiratory infection
- Bronchitis
- Urinary tract infection
- Conjunctivitis - pink eye
- Skin conditions
- Ear problems
- Allergies
- Cough
- Headache
- Flu - When it’s not convenient. Telehealth is a convenient choice when you don’t want to miss work, when you’re out of town, or if you’re just too sick to make the trip to your doctor.
- Late hours or holidays. Doctors’ offices have limited hours and many urgent care facilities aren’t open 24 hours. Telehealth is accessible any hour or day.
- Natural disasters or extreme weather. When it is difficult or unsafe to travel or when the hospitals are over capacity, telehealth can come in handy. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, facilities may be understaffed or even closed for repair. Using a telehealth provider may be one of your only options for getting a new prescription or routine prescription filled. In fact, MDLIVE offered its services free for those affected by Hurricane Matthew, Harvey, and Irma.
Medi-Share members can use MDLIVE for Free!
Great news for members of Medi-Share: you can use MDLIVE for FREE, 24/7, 365 days a year!
That’s an important factor when doctor visits could cost up to $100, urgent care around $150, and an ER visit can be upwards of $750. Medi-Share members will pay $0 for a telehealth consultation. Now, that’s good stewardship.
Already a Medi-Share member? Make sure you set up your MDLIVE account today so it’s in place when you or a family member becomes sick or injured. MDLIVE will give you the medical attention you need or let you know if you need a follow-up with a doctor in person.
Have you used MDLIVE yet? How did it work for you?
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