Is there a doctor in the house?

It’s Friday night, late, and all of a sudden you realize that you or a family member really needs to talk to a doctor. Do you go to urgent care? Is it an emergency? Should you wait it out?  These are things that have undoubtedly happened to every new parent, as well as anyone caring for a family member. Why does it always happen on the weekend in the middle of the night? Well, that’s certainly a topic for an entirely different blog series on the probability of getting sick at the worst possible times.  

So what do you do? 10 years ago, you might’ve called the emergency nurse call center and discussed symptoms with them before being advised to go into the ER or Urgent Care. Now, if you have a smartphone, you have access to all kinds of medical care.

Want to talk to a doctor? Need a quick prescription? Maybe you just need to talk to a therapist. Perhaps you want someone to look at an odd rash or skin irritation. Whatever your need, you are increasingly able to get it met virtually, through the Internet, via your smartphone or tablet. This phenomenon is referred to as telemedicine, sometimes referred to as digital health or connected health.

But is it legit? Yes. Turns out, it’s so legit that many states even allow your insurance to be billed for these services, including Medicare and Medicaid.

So next time you’re up at 1am on Saturday morning with your loved one complaining of an unexplained skin rash and a spiking fever, just get out your phone. There is indeed, an app for that.

The world’s most advanced nurse call system is calling you. It’s time to respond. Contact RCare to learn more.