No one enjoys spending time in a waiting room, especially if you aren't feeling well to begin with. Ever since doctors stopped making house calls, though, taking a trip to the clinic has been the only way to receive medical care. But thanks to the rise of telemedicine, there's now another option.

Virtual care and the technology that makes it possible allows patients to visit with a doctor, receive a diagnosis, and be prescribed treatment completely online without ever leaving the comfort of their home. It's a healthcare model that has been gaining popularity for some time now. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, though, telemedicine has been embraced as an effective way to reduce the virus's spread at clinics and hospitals.

Slowing the spread of infectious diseases is one of the big benefits of telemedicine, but it's far from the only advantage. In this article, we will discuss how visiting an online doctor works, the various benefits that it offers, and how HealthTap can help you schedule a telemedicine appointment today.

How does an online doctor visit work?

An appointment with an online doctor proceeds much like any doctor's appointment, save for the fact that it is conducted remotely. Depending on your preferences and what your chosen physician offers, an online doctor's visit can be conducted via text, phone call, or video chat. HealthTap offers video chat in its Urgent Care clinic and offers the option to text a Primary Care doctor for patients who have a HealthTap membership. In some cases, you may be asked to first complete an AI-powered "interview" designed to assess your symptoms and provide your physician with the information they need to proceed with your diagnosis.

From there, your needs and symptoms will determine what your visit with an online doctor will entail. You may be asked to perform tests yourself such as taking your own pulse, weighing yourself, and taking your own temperature. Along with a discussion of your symptoms and medical history, your physician may perform a number of visual assessments before making a diagnosis and/or recommending further tests. If your online doctor is able to make a diagnosis, they may be able to prescribe medications and other treatments without requiring an in-person visit. While a doctor can diagnose many conditions over virtual care, at times they may need to recommend you see a provider in person.

The benefits of avoiding the waiting room

Visiting an online doctor is something that offers a range of benefits compared to a traditional doctor's visit, including benefits such as:

1. Preventing the spread of infectious diseases

We've mentioned already that one of the big reasons why telemedicine has spiked in popularity is the fact that it has been used to help slow the spread of COVID-19. It isn't just COVID-19 that you risk being exposed to when you visit the hospital or clinic though; people go to the doctor to seek treatment for a wide range of infectious diseases, and spending time in a waiting room means you are much more likely to be exposed to someone who is contagious. In fact, an estimated 648,000 people a year in the United States develop infections following a hospital stay. Along with protecting yourself, visiting an online doctor can also protect others if you yourself feel as if you may have contracted an infectious disease.

2. More convenience

One of the most obvious benefits of telemedicine is the fact that it is far more convenient and far less time-consuming. No one wants to take time out of their day to drive to the doctor and sit in a waiting room. With telemedicine, though, you are able to visit with a doctor from the comfort of your own home.

While patients are sometimes required to wait a little while before their doctor joins the call, this waiting period tends to be much shorter than the average waiting period of in-person visits, especially if you count travel to and from the clinic. The improved convenience of telemedicine has also been shown to boost follow-up rates, making it more likely that patients will attend their all-important follow-up appointments.

3. Improved access to healthcare

A lack of equity is one of the big challenges that healthcare leaders are trying to solve, and telemedicine is poised to play a key role in making healthcare more accessible. Underserved communities and rural communities are both often faced with a limited number of healthcare options to choose from. With telemedicine, though, you can schedule an appointment with any provider in your network regardless of where they are located.

4. Visits may cost less

Visiting an online doctor is almost always more affordable than visiting a doctor in person. According to a study published by the Alliance for Connected Care, the average cost of a telemedicine visit is $40 to $50 per visit compared to an average cost of $136 to $176 per visit for in-person care. For those without insurance, this price differential can make a big difference. The savings that telemedicine offers become even more pronounced when you take into account factors such as travel expenses, childcare expenses, and time taken off work.

5. More flexible scheduling

Many telemedicine providers take appointments during times when most clinics are not open, such as after hours or on the weekend. Depending on your own schedule, this may be a big benefit.

How to schedule an appointment with an online doctor

As the popularity of telemedicine has risen, making an appointment with an online doctor has become increasingly accessible and convenient. At HealthTap, we are proud to offer an optimized platform for connecting patients with telemedicine doctors. With HealthTap, you'll be able to browse physicians, view their reviews and office hours, and schedule appointments directly on our website or within the HealthTap app.

Since 2010, we at HealthTap have made it our mission to make healthcare more convenient, more accessible, and more affordable to patients across the country. By leveraging cutting-edge software and years of telemedicine experience, we are able to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce costs, making telemedicine services even more affordable.

If you would like to skip the waiting room and connect with an online doctor conveniently, quickly, and affordably, be sure to check out the benefits of a HealthTap membership today!