What to expect before you make an online doctor appointment

Scheduling an online doctor appointment may be intimidating for some. If you’re not used to the process or don’t feel comfortable with technology, it can feel a little daunting. However, online doctor visits are set up to be both convenient and comfortable for patients. Their purpose is to give you another way to take care of your health. We want to give you an option that puts your schedule and the other priorities in your life first.

If you’re considering making your first online doctor appointment and want to know what to expect, let us help you. We’ll give you all the details so that when the time comes to book an appointment, you’ll feel like a pro.

What is an online doctor?

An online doctor visit is very similar to a traditional doctor’s visit, only way more convenient. First, you schedule an appointment, just like you would with any other traditional doctor. However, online appointments allow you to speak with a doctor from the comfort of your own home — or wherever you happen to be that day.

Using video chat, your doctor will listen to your symptoms and health concerns, give you a diagnosis and treatment plan, and write you any necessary prescriptions. You don’t need to worry about taking time out of your day to commute to a doctor’s office or other appointment location. You also don’t need to waste time in a waiting room. Just log in when it’s time to talk to your online doctor and enjoy confidential, high-quality health care.

What are the benefits of an online doctor appointment?

There are many benefits to choosing an online doctor visit over a traditional doctor’s appointment. First, you are in control of the schedule. You can pick the time that best suits you without needing to consider public transportation or your work schedule. You also get the undivided attention of your doctor during your appointment. 

Additional benefits include skipping the long waits in crowded waiting rooms and avoiding being passed over by a patient who becomes a bigger priority than you. You can also take your appointment from wherever you’re most comfortable.

When should you schedule an online doctor visit?

You can schedule an online doctor appointment for almost any medical concern you have. Of course, if it’s a major injury or illness, get to an emergency room or urgent care location right away. But for most other concerns you might have, your online doctor can generally take care of them. Here are some of the biggest benefits of scheduling an appointment with an online doctor.

Avoiding contagious illnesses

As we mentioned before, you can avoid the waiting room altogether when you use an online doctor. We talked about the convenience of not sitting around and waiting for a room to become available for you. But the other convenience is not sitting next to any other sick patients. 

Patients visit urgent care for everything from the common cold to pink eye to skin rashes. When you see an online doctor, you avoid the risk of infecting other people with whatever you may have. And you ensure that you don’t get worse by picking up bacteria from another sick person sitting next to you.

Prescription refills

Sometimes you just need to get your prescription refilled. You don’t have any new medical concerns, and nothing important to update your doctor on. In those instances, consider scheduling an appointment with an online doctor. The visit will be much faster and you don’t have to travel anywhere except your local pharmacy. For people with busy schedules or multiple appointments in one day, an online doctor visit to refill your prescription is the most convenient choice.

Avoiding unsafe travel

Trekking to the doctor’s office when you feel sick is awful. Doing it in bad weather is a nightmare. Unfortunately, your body doesn’t wait for a convenient time to get sick, so there will be times when you need medical attention when the weather makes commuting impossible. During those times, schedule an online doctor appointment. Keep yourself and your family safe by staying indoors while still receiving high-quality, personalized medical care.

Seeking advice for uncomfortable treatments

The truth is, some treatments and conversations are embarrassing. Your doctors have heard and seen it all, but that doesn’t stop you, as the patient, from feeling shy when discussing certain aspects of your health. If you know that you need to see a doctor about a sensitive medical concern, do it in a place where you feel comfortable.

Often people who have an STI concern or need treatment for vaginitis prefer the privacy of an online doctor to a traditional doctor’s office. An online appointment allows you to avoid seeing one of your neighbors in a waiting room or being overheard by a stranger. Schedule an online doctor visit when you can be in your own home, where you feel most comfortable.

What to know before making an online doctor appointment

The online doctor appointment itself will generally go like any other doctor appointment that you’re used to. But, there are a few things to know before you’re ready for your first visit.

Login information

Make sure that you can login before your appointment starts. You don’t want to waste time trying to find your username or password. We recommend keeping a record of your login information somewhere convenient and also ensuring that you have a strong WIFI connection before your scheduled appointment.

Appointment availability

Nao Medical is open every day, including weekends and holidays for extended hours. We are here when you need us. Because of that, we sometimes fill our days up quickly with appointments. 

When you’re ready to schedule your online doctor visit, make sure you’re prepared with a few different time slots. We do our best to be available when you need us, but during the busiest hours, it might be difficult to schedule your appointment. Have a few options to choose from, just in case.

After you log in and make your appointment, you’re all set for your appointment. There are no complicated processes involved or any unfamiliar technology. Just have your device and a WIFI connection and you’ll be ready for your appointment.

Common concerns about online doctor visit

It may not take a lot to get your online doctor appointment scheduled, but we know that your concerns don’t end there. We wanted to address two of the most common concerns we hear from patients, so you feel completely confident in your first online doctor appointment.

We’re often asked whether or not online doctor visits are covered by insurance. The answer is yes. There are no extra fees to pay for the convenience of getting medical care in your own home via an online visit. You’ll only be responsible for your regular copay and the rest will be handled by insurance.

The other common question we get is about the quality of care. We can assure you that at Nao Medical, each one of our patients gets focused, personalized care, whether they come to one of our physical office locations or see an online doctor.

Where to make an online doctor appointment

Now that you know everything there is to know about online doctor visits, it’s time to make your first appointment. Read more about the services we offer or schedule your online doctor appointment today.