Telehealth is the delivery of healthcare using communication technologies such as video conferencing and phone calls. Patients can use their phone, tablet or desktop to connect with a healthcare provider instead of driving to a clinic. 

While telehealth has been in use for the last 30 years, it gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.1 Today, there’s more research that highlights the benefits of telehealth in treating non-emergency medical needs. 

Accessing telehealth care after-hours 

If you’ve ever experienced an injury on a weekend or felt ill in the middle of the night, you know how difficult it can be to access healthcare. With most clinics closed, one of your only options is to visit the emergency room (ER). This can require a long commute, expensive hospital parking, and time spent waiting to receive care. 

Using urgent care telehealth, you can access quality healthcare at any time of the day or night without leaving the comfort of your home. This can help patients to avoid a late-night drive to the ER. It can give working parents an opportunity to access healthcare when they can’t make it to a clinic during regular hours. It can also prevent long commutes for those in remote and rural areas. A telehealth urgent care visit can also be cheaper than a trip to the ER. 

Telehealth urgent care versus emergency care

While patients can use telehealth to access quality care in many situations, it is not appropriate for all health conditions. If you’re experiencing a life-threatening issue, you should call 911 or go to the ER.  

Urgent care is for patients experiencing an unexpected but non-life-threatening health condition that requires prompt treatment. Using telehealth, a medical professional can diagnose and treat many issues and illnesses. A telehealth visit can also help you determine if your health concern requires an in-person appointment.

Some of the non-life-threatening issues and illnesses that can be diagnosed and treated remotely using urgent care telehealth include:  

  • Abdominal pain 
  • Asthma
  • Cough
  • Diarrhea
  • Dehydration
  • Fever
  • Flu
  • Headaches
  • Nausea/Vomiting
  • Pink eye
  • Rash
  • Sinus infections 
  • Sprains and strains
  • Telehealth for UTI (urinary tract infection)

Why use telehealth for after-hours urgent care needs 

If you wake up in the middle of the night feeling ill and want to speak to a medical professional without having to get out of bed, you can. Using telehealth urgent care, you can access medical care 24/7 from the comfort of your home. 

References

  1. Rural Health Information Hub. “Healthcare Access in Rural Communities.” Accessed September 15, 2023.