5 Benefits of Speaking to a Doctor Online

The advent of telehealth and online doctor services has done wonders for making affordable healthcare accessible to all. People situated in rural or remote areas, or those who are frequently on the road, or even people who need after-hours care can all benefit from this service. In fact, studies find that up to 80% of all GP visits are for problems that could have been solved via a phone or video call.

Thanks to technology, you can now speak to a doctor online for non-life-threatening issues. Many online doctor services also offer a live chat feature to make it even quicker and instantaneous to ask medical questions from a registered doctor.

If you’re on the fence about whether an online doctor service would be for you, read on to find out some of the benefits of using this service:

No Travelling Time

When consulting with an online doctor, you don’t need to step out of the house, or even out of your bed if you don’t want to! Not only do you save precious time going to and from the doctor’s clinic, you also don’t need to wait for the bus, get fuel for the car or make babysitting arrangements for the kids while you’re away.

When you’re sick, the last thing you want to do is get dressed and drive to your doctor’s clinic to get a medical certificate to stay at home from work. With telehealth, you don’t have to!

Your location doesn’t matter

You may be doing some fieldwork in the middle of Coober Pedy, or stationed in a remote area when you suddenly fall sick. With the help of online doctor services, you can get quick access to a highly experienced doctor, no matter where you are in Australia. When your local GP is closed, all booked out or on vacation, finding another good GP, travelling to their clinic, filling out a bunch of forms can all be a hassle.

With telemedicine apps, all you need is a device with audio and video capabilities and an internet connection, and you could speak with a doctor online about a number of different problems.

Save Time and Money

When heading to your local GP, not only are you going to be spending a lot of time commuting to and from the clinic, especially if you don’t own a car, you are also very likely to be waiting in their reception for some time. Not to mention the fuel costs (or public transport fare), as well as making arrangements for the kids at home.

Online consultations with doctors are also much cheaper than traditional clinics, which can be especially beneficial if you don’t have Medicare or private health insurance. This is why people choose to speak to a doctor online if they’re unsure of whether they even need to see one, which in turn helps people stay healthier.

Quick and Easy Prescriptions and Medical Certificates

Ever had to book an appointment with your GP just because you need a repeat prescription for your chronic condition, a contraceptive refill or a medical certificate for work? It can be very frustrating to spend that much time for what turns out to be a 5-minute consultation. Not only is it a waste of your time, but also that of your doctor’s, who could have spent that time tending to a patient who may need them more.

With just a quick live chat with a doctor, you can get your prescription sent to your nearest pharmacy for you to pick up at your own convenience, or get your medical certificate emailed to you or your employer.

No need to rearrange your schedule

Have a jam-packed schedule with no time to visit a GP for the symptoms you’ve been worried about? You’re not alone! Many people in Australia report that long waiting times put them off going to the GP even when they clearly need to. Unfortunately, this can often mean that health conditions are detected only after they have progressed too far.

With online health services, you can consult with your doctor in the parking lot of your office, when on your lunch break, or in the comfort of your home without having to spend so much time waiting. And even when waiting for your appointment time to roll around, you are free to do other work in the meantime!

So there you have it. Having a live chat with a doctor when you’re concerned about any symptoms is convenient, time-saving and much more affordable!