How does telehealth work?

How a telehealth visit works

1. Book through your doctor's office, health plan or a telehealth service, and pick video or phone.
2. Check in on your phone, tablet or computer. You may fill out a short health history first.
3. Talk with the clinician. They ask about your symptoms and may ask you to show the problem on camera.
4. Get a plan. That may be advice, a prescription sent to your pharmacy, a lab order, or a referral for in-person care.
5. Follow up by message or another visit, and share the visit notes with your regular doctor.

What telehealth services cover

MedlinePlus lists uses such as:

• General care, including wellness visits.
• Prescriptions.
• Dermatology, eye exams and nutrition counseling.
• Mental health counseling.
• Urgent problems like sinusitis, urinary tract infections and common rashes.

Telehealth also includes remote monitoring, where devices send readings to your care team from home. Medicare lists services such as office visits, psychotherapy, depression screening and diabetes self-management training. See does Medicare cover telehealth.

What telehealth can't do

• Hands-on exams: MedlinePlus notes a clinician may not be able to make the right diagnosis without examining you in person.
• Tests and imaging: blood work, X-rays and scans still happen in person.
• Full history: a clinician who isn't your regular doctor may not have your records, so you may need to coordinate follow-up yourself.
• Technology: dropped connections and app problems happen.
• Coverage: some plans don't cover every telehealth service. See telehealth cost.

Telehealth isn't for emergencies. Call 911 or go to an emergency room for chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding, a serious injury or sudden confusion.

How to get ready for a virtual visit

• Find a quiet, private, well-lit spot and charge your device.
• Write down your symptoms, when they started and your questions.
• Have your medication and supplement list, allergies and pharmacy details ready.
• Keep recent lab results or wearable data handy.
• Check your coverage and any copay before you book.

Telehealth with Gabriel

Gabriel Core includes unlimited virtual urgent care for $49 per adult a month, kids under 18 included, plus unlimited virtual primary care. Gabriel Plus, $89, adds two in-person urgent care visits a year for when you need to be seen, and a first root-cause visit on us (up to $200, from your fourth month, or right away on yearly billing). You can also upload any lab report free and Gabriel explains it in plain words. Gabriel membership is not health insurance.