Telehealth Services: Affordable + Accessible Health Care
Telehealth Services: Affordable + Accessible Health Care Sarah Ware
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I’m so excited to share a new service that’s going to make healthcare more accessible and convenient! Read on for all the benefits of telehealth!
This post is sponsored by Everlywell. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make it possible for Root + Revel to provide free content and healthy living inspiration.
Now, before I dive into the details… settle in while I paint an all-too-familiar picture about visiting your doctor.
Imagine….
A week ago, you made that lingering appointment to see your doctor in their office. You'd been meaning to make the appointment sooner but trying to fit it in between all your other commitments is never easy.
So the day has finally come, and you're in the car. You’re on your way, rushing through traffic, to make your appointment on time. You arrive, finally find a parking spot (pay for parking!), and get yourself through the door.
Once inside, you're met with a crowded waiting room with dozens of complete strangers, only to be greeted by the receptionist who informs you that your doctor’s running late and to “please be patient, and take a seat.”
So there you are, sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair, squished between two other “patiently waiting patients,” while you scroll your phone amidst the unpleasant aromas of perfume and antiseptic.
Sound familiar?
Now picture this…
You decide you need to make a medical appointment. You open your phone, find the app, and schedule a time that works for you.
The appointment time arrives. You sit yourself comfortably in your favorite chair, with a warm cup of tea and your phone. You open your email and click the meeting link. You then sip your tea while you wait for your qualified health professional to join the call. They join the call at the scheduled time and you proceed with the appointment.
I don’t know about you but scenario #2 sounds like a WAY better option to me!
Now, it may sound like a dream but let me introduce you to the reality of Everlywell’s new Telehealth Service- Virtual Care Visits.
Read on as I share all the details about Telehealth and my personal experience of an Everlywell Virtual Care Visit!
What is Telehealth?
So what exactly is telehealth? Telehealth, or telemedicine, is a rapidly growing field of healthcare. Its popularity emerged during the pandemic and has since stuck around as an accessible and affordable means to medical services.
Telehealth is a way for medical professionals to provide and manage healthcare using the technology we all use every day: computers and mobile devices! This emerging healthcare service provides individuals with access to primary care, mental health care, specialty care, and other public health services.
One of the greatest benefits of telehealth is that it can help patients manage their health care from the comfort of their own home. It also provides access to care for individuals living in remote areas. For those living with mobility issues, this new way of accessing health care is a total game changer!
Healthcare providers can manage and monitor their patients without being in the same physical space.
Can you imagine how much better outcomes will be for the elderly and disabled with these kinds of services?!
Which brings me to my next two points….
Save Time + Money
Telehealth greatly reduces healthcare costs, making access to expert healthcare affordable.
The overhead cost needed to see patients in an office is greatly reduced, the wait times are shorter, and transportation costs are eliminated.
Telehealth Improves Patient Outcomes
Patient outcomes are also greatly improved with the ability to provide real-time insights into a patient’s health. What does this mean? It means a professional can assess your symptoms right away, while they’re active.
Long wait times often lead to poor management of health as you can’t see your doctor when you need them most! Your telehealth professional can quickly and accurately diagnose and/or refer patients for faster interventions.
Stress
Stress induced by visiting a doctor is not a myth. Have you ever been a little stressed before a doctor's appointment? Ever heard of white coat syndrome? Yup, it’s a real thing. (source) The high blood pressure level that some people experience simply by sitting in a doctor's office is quite incredible.
Stress leads to people forgetting to share important details with their doctor, forgetting the information their doctor gives them, or avoiding going to the doctor in the first place!
Alright, now that you have a better understanding of what telehealth services are, and how you can benefit from them, let’s take a look at Everlywell’s Telehealth Service- Virtual Care Visits.
If you’re not familiar with Everlywell, make sure to take a look at this post.
Everlywell’s Virtual Care Visits are run by licensed nurse practitioners who provide expert, high-quality care. They can help you address your symptoms with the right test, prescriptions, or lifestyle recommendations.
Their service is nationwide so you’re able to access it throughout all 50 states!
And, like any medical office, they have technology in place to protect your privacy. This ensures that all your information is safe and confidential.
Here is a list of example health concerns that Everlywell’s nurse practitioners could help with and provide individualized treatment plans for:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Weight changes
- Stomach pain
- Burning with urination
- Rash/Hives
- Changes in hair, skin, nails
- Problems sleeping
- Cold & flu
One-time prescriptions for diagnoses like:
- COVID-19
- UTIs
- Minor skin issues (e.g. steroid cream RX)
What Makes Everlywell's Tele-health Service Unique?
Now I know they’re not the first on the block and there are other options for telehealth out there; however Everlywell’s Virtual Care Visits offer more than most.
Not only is there a telehealth service accessible through multiple personal devices, but you can often book the appointment you need within three hours. Their service is also open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST! Talk about extended business hours!
Everlywell also has flexible payment options, and many major insurance plans are accepted. By using their partner, OpenLoop, you can enter your insurance information to see if you’re covered. They will send you an email before your appointment with more information with your eligibility and cost estimates.
My Personal Experience
To be able to give a proper review, I signed up myself so I could provide you with first-hand experience of the process.
I’ve worked in healthcare for a long time, so not only do I have personal experience with healthcare services for myself and my kids, BUT I also have professional experience of what excellent care truly looks like.
So let’s dive in…
Signing Up
First thing’s first. I went to Everlywell’s Telehealth Portal and signed up for an online account. Once I’d added my email address and password, I was taken to the medical intake form. Simple enough!
The form was easy to understand and straightforward. The first box allowed me to add free text of the health concerns I wished to discuss during my appointment.
The next was a series of checkboxes to indicate if there were certain conditions I was dealing with, or have been diagnosed with. Easy…done.
Next came the coverage part. With an extensive scroll through the box, I was able to look for my insurance provider! I could’ve also skipped this part if I preferred to pay $59 out of pocket for the visit.
Booking
After the insurance part, I was taken to the booking page. It was so easy to find a time that worked with my schedule, and there were appointments available the same day.
I should mention that there is a 24-hour cancellation policy, so if you’re booking the same day, make sure you triple check that you can make the appointment. Otherwise, there’s a $25 cancellation fee.
What I also loved is that I could see the names of the providers available. So, the next time I book, I can request the same practitioner. I love this for continuity of care!
The Visit
When my appointment time arrived, I got myself all comfortable in my favorite chair, armed with a cup of matcha. I then clicked on the access link (which had integrated automatically into my calendar) and waited for the appointment to start.
My practitioner, Ms. M, arrived on the call right on time. She was pleasant, confirmed all my details, and then let me explain my concerns.
After allowing ample time to ask questions, she then gave me clear suggestions on next steps. I felt totally confident in her care plan.
We then said our goodbyes, I hung up the call, and proceeded to finish my tea. No stress. Super easy.
I felt taken care of….and I was still sitting in my own comfy chair.
Preparing for Your Appointment
There are a few things that Everlywell suggests you do to prepare for your first appointment.
- Make sure your device, tablet or computer is fully charged
- Test your internet connection to ensure a strong signal and reliable connection
- Do a quick test run of the audio and video setting as it’s important that your practitioner can hear and see you clearly
- Also make sure that you have proper lighting so that you can be seen well. Especially if your practitioner needs to assess your skin etc.
Final Thoughts
Everlywell’s Virtual Care Visits couldn’t have been easier. From signing up to booking an appointment to speaking with a nurse practitioner and getting an individualized care plan, it went incredibly smoothly.
Overall, I found this to be an excellent experience. From start to finish, it was an easy and convenient way to access high quality health care.
I also admire Everlywell’s commitment to make this service accessible to all with their insured and flexible payment options.
The next time you’re in need of medical advice, make sure you check out Everlywell’s new service.
If you have more questions that weren’t answered in his article, check out Everlywell’s list of FAQs through this link!!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on telemedicine so drop a comment below or feel free to ask me questions directly at hi@rootandrevel.com.
If you do try the service, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Wishing you health + happiness!
Sarah