Created by world-famous Dr. Phil McGraw and his son, Doctor on Demand (Dr on Demand) is one of the fastest-growing telemedicine providers in America. Read below to see our in-depth review so you can see if Doctor on Demand is right for you - you could see a doctor online in 30 minutes!
Have you ever had the type` of ailment that is worrisome but doesn’t merit a trip to the emergency ward? Something along the line of a urinary tract infection, minor injury from sports or some sort of issue with your eyes or skin? Well, the great news is that thanks to modern-day telemedicine, you have virtually instant access to fully qualified medical doctors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year! All you need is a reliable internet connection on your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Today we will be taking a closer look at Doctors on Demand, one of the larger and more popular telemedicine platforms and give you the low down on who they are, what they do and more.
Doctor on Demand was launched in 2012 by Jay McGraw, the son of the world-famous Dr. Phil, and Adam Jackson. Over the years they have built up an impressive network of over 1,400 board-certified physicians and licensed mental practitioners, able to treat just about any medical problem.
Based in San Francisco with offices in Minneapolis and Washington D.C, Doctor On Demand claim to be the leading virtual healthcare provider and aim to provide their patients with access to fully qualified medical practitioners within 5 minutes. Patients can consult certified online physicians, online psychiatrists, online psychologists, and a care coordination team, any day of the week, across all 50 states, via either a web browser or a dedicated mobile app with video, voice or text chat.
Doctor On Demand can be used to diagnose symptoms, interpret lab results and is a cost-effective way to get a second opinion. The service is also a godsend for those with children prone to after-hours accidents, illnesses, and encounters with head lice, rashes and the like. It is also an invaluable service for first-time mothers thanks to the availability of online lactation consultants who are on hand to assist with all matters related to breastfeeding.
Doctor On Demand also provides patients with access to online mental health facilities, including online therapy sessions with virtual psychologists and virtual psychiatrists who can provide online treatment for depression, addictions, social anxiety, trauma, and workplace stress as well as social issues. All of the online doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists in the Doctor On Demand network are licensed to prescribe medication.
Doctor On Demand covers four broad categories of health care:
Urgent Care is for those times when you’re ill with something like the flu. The team at Doctor On Demand are available 24/7 to diagnose your symptoms and order the prescriptions that will get you back to 100%. The following ailments and conditions fall under Urgent Care:
The team of licensed online psychiatrists and psychologists at Doctor on Demand are always available to provide patients with the emotional support they need from the comfort of their homes. Behavioral Health includes:
Preventative Health encompasses your regular day-to-day healthcare and consists of:
Chronic Care services include assistance in managing ongoing and chronic health conditions and includes:
Doctor On Demand is not suitable for all medical situations and patients who suspect they may be suffering from any of the following are advised to see an in-person doctor or go to the emergency ward of their nearest hospital as fast as possible:
Their doctors are not permitted to provide prescriptions for controlled substances (such as codeine, oxycodone or other opioids). Patients with a legitimate need for medications classified as controlled substances are advised to see an in-person doctor.
The patient can make use of Doctor On Demand’s mobile app or the web browser on their PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. After verifying a few details, they will be connected with a board-certified primary care physician.
They will then conduct an online medical consultation to determine if the patient requires a referral or a prescription. If a prescription is required, the physician will send it directly to the pharmacy of the patient’s choice. Under no circumstances will the prescription ever be sent directly to the patient.
If the patient requires a referral, they are then connected to the type of medical professional they require who is licensed to operate in their state. The examination part of the online consultation then begins and is quite like an examination by an in-person doctor, with them asking the patient to open their mouth and say “aaaaah”, stick out their tongue, etc.
During the consultation, there is a countdown timer that is set at 15 minutes. It should be noted that the time can be extended at no extra cost if the doctor deems necessary. It is meant to serve as a deterrent to those patients who tend to stretch things out for no apparent reason.
There is no doubt that virtual doctors are the future. That being said, an in-person consultation will always yield a more accurate diagnosis. However, for those situations where distance, time and convenience are a factor, the virtual doctor system is almost perfect. And as one of the biggest and longest-running virtual doctor platforms, Doctor On Demand offers a polished service that covers just about every situation while still costing about the same as an in-person consultation.
We recommend at least trying Doctor On Demand the next time you have a non-emergency medical situation to gauge the service for yourself. For some, nothing will be able to replace the face-to-face consultation, while others will revel in the convenience and speed that Doctor On Demand provides.