Let’s face it, sometimes not going to the doctor is easier than going. Appointment times aren’t always convenient, and there are items on your to-do list that just keep creeping up above the annual physical you’ve been putting off. Or maybe you can get an appointment, but you feel too sick to get out of bed.
Don’t doctors make house calls anymore?
Telehealth — which uses talk, video, and text features to connect doctors with patients, allowing them to diagnose, treat, and even prescribe medication — is the modern answer to the house call and a growing part of the healthcare industry. It reduces the burden on in-person facilities by triaging or treating less-serious cases while also expanding access to patients in rural areas where medical practitioners may be in short supply.
For the millions not living in a major metropolitan area, the doctor you need to see for your chronic migraine attacks or diabetes or to talk you through breastfeeding for the first time may be located in the next town, county, or — even — state.
“It allows the same quality level of care that a patient would receive seeing [their] provider face-to-face, but instead performed in real-time video-audio communication,” says Pamela Hoffman, MD, the medical director for telehealth services for Yale Medicine and the Yale–New Haven Health System in Connecticut.
As we find ourselves navigating the global spread of COVID-19, doctors and public health officials are stressing the importance of using telehealth services rather than coming to a medical office. Telehealth is ideal for people with minor medical concerns and for people who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 but do not need emergency care.
Using some form of virtual care allows those who are not infected with the virus to maintain physical distance from those who are infected. And it can guide those with mild to moderate symptoms to care for themselves appropriately, so they don’t overwhelm emergency facilities.
“A patient who is worried about a minor medical concern who would normally come into the hospital clinic can be treated over video, so that patients who are symptomatic due to COVID-19 can get clearer access to services in the hospital,” says Dr. Hoffman.
This pandemic shall pass — how quickly remains to be seen — but it’s likely telehealth will only become more popular. According to Hoffman, “Modern telemedicine is a way for providers and patients to quickly and safely connect.”
So to quickly and safely get you through all the sinus infections, UTIs, anxiety, and yes, even a pandemic, we’ve rounded up the best telehealth apps and websites available. Keep in mind that prices may be lower if your health insurance covers the cost of telehealth visits.
Teladoc
Teladoc is one of the leading telehealth services, with an app and online portal giving patients access to what they call “everyday care,” covering the standard health issues for which you’d typically head to urgent care: sinus and respiratory infections, flu symptoms, allergies, and rashes. When needed, their doctors can send prescriptions to your preferred pharmacy.
While everyday care mostly covers acute conditions, Teladoc also offers dermatology and mental healthcare for ongoing treatment. The mental health component gives users the option of selecting and seeing the same therapist or psychiatrist on each visit. Teladoc works with employers and health insurers by supplementing existing coverage, and it can also be accessed by individuals who are uninsured and anyone whose insurance isn’t in the Teladoc network.
Cost No membership fee
- Everyday care — starts at $55
- Dermatology — starts at $85
- Mental health — starts at $90
Bottom line Teladoc’s expansive partnerships with employers and insurers make it an affordable and seamless option.
For more information, check out Teladoc.com.
Doctor On Demand
Doctor On Demand is clear about what they do and don’t treat, which is crucial information when you're deciding whether a service is right for your needs. It may seem obvious, but their site makes clear that the following issues must be dealt with by an in-person doctor or hospital: broken bones, severe burns, lacerations, loss of consciousness, chest pains, coughing or vomiting blood, and all traumatic injuries.
Doctor On Demand does cover urgent-care needs including coughs and colds, migraines, yeast infections, IBS, erectile dysfunction, and allergies. For immediate appointments, users are assigned a doctor, but scheduled appointments allow patients to select which provider they’d like to talk to.
The app also gives much-needed attention to preventive and chronic care, including behavioral health. The preventive services, in particular, stand out, and include smoking cessation, lifestyle counseling, and nutrition, as well as pediatric and family services that assist with immunization planning, growth milestones, and childhood development counseling.
Cost No membership fee
- Medical doctor — $75 for a 15-minute consultation
- Psychology — $129 for a 25-minute consultation; $179 for a 50-minute consultation
- Psychiatry — $299 for initial 45-minute consultation; $129 for 15-minute follow-up
Bottom line If you have questions about how to maintain your and your family’s health, Doctor On Demand’s services make it easy to get answers without long waitlists or commutes to specialists.
For more information, check out DoctorOnDemand.com.
LiveHealth Online
LiveHealth Online covers the standard set of urgent and behavioral health issues, as well as allergy conditions. Once logged in (using insurance or not) patients can select the doctor they wish to see, and the time — appointments are available around the clock, so for the person who wakes up in the middle of the night with a high fever, LiveHealth has providers available. The company also partners with providers in Mexico City for Spanish-speaking patients. Unlike other apps, base prices are the same for the insured and uninsured; however, depending on coverage, costs can drop and are based on in-person copays.
Cost No membership fee
- Medical visits — $59 or less
- Counseling — $80 or less with a therapist; $95 or less with a psychologist
- Psychiatry — $175 or less for initial evaluation; $75 or less for follow-ups
Bottom line LiveHealth Online offers the usual array of telehealth services, with the addition of Spanish-language appointments.
For more information, check out LiveHealthOnline.com.
Amwell
Some telehealth services automatically assign patients to the first available physician, but Amwell allows its users to choose from among the available doctors, who are listed along with their experience and ratings. In addition to urgent-care appointments, Amwell offers a variety of specialty services, such as menopause care, nutrition, and counseling; pregnancy and postpartum nutrition and counseling; breastfeeding support; physical therapy; psychiatry; cardiology; and neurology.
Amwell’s specialty services are primarily designed to support the care patients previously received or are currently receiving in person. For instance, cardiology and neurology services are best suited for people who are managing a chronic condition. The women’s health services supplement those received in person from obstetricians and gynecologists, who may not have enough time per patient to discuss the particulars of nutrition, breastfeeding, and adjusting to menopause.
Cost No membership fee
- Urgent care — starts at $69
- Counseling — starts at $79
- Psychiatry — starts at $199
- Nutrition — starts at $65
- Dermatology — starts at $49
- Cardiology and neurology — starts at $99
- Physical therapy — starts at $69
Bottom line Amwell excels in filling gaps in care — where patients might otherwise fall off after initial diagnosis or surgery, Amwell facilitates supplemental, specialized health services and provides that information via a patient’s primary care physician.
For more information, check out Amwell.com.
K Health Primary Care
K Health sets itself apart from other telehealth services by using AI (artificial intelligence) technology to quickly give patients answers to their health concerns and determine whether they need to speak with a doctor before paying for a visit. This cuts down on wait time and unnecessary medical visits, and by relying on texting rather than video or phone visits, K Health keeps costs low. The visit fee includes up to two weeks of follow-up texting with the physician.
Chat services are available through K Health for primary and urgent-care needs, and prescriptions and lab tests are ordered as needed. The app also offers behavioral health treatment, beginning with a free assessment overseen by board-certified doctors who can prescribe medication and who will check in with patients every two weeks to assess their progress and adjust their medication when needed.
Cost
- Primary care — $49 per year for unlimited visits or $19 per visit
- Behavioral health — $29 per month, including medication
Bottom line K Health is meant for individuals who are comfortable being triaged by AI and, for its behavioral health services, those with a stable diagnosis of depression or anxiety.
For more information, check out KHealth.ai.
Talkspace
Talkspace was one of the first mental health apps to deliver affordable talk therapy. The process begins with a free assessment, after which patients can choose their plan. Options include unlimited messaging therapy, couples therapy, and teen therapy. Employer plans are available and are already being used as a supplement to traditional health benefits.
Live sessions may be limited to four times per month, depending on the plan. Instead, the app relies on texting, and providers typically respond one to two times per day. Talkspace recently introduced therapy for social media dependency, acknowledging the proven link between depression and social media, especially in teens. With Talkspace, there is no prescribed appointment time, but rather a free-flowing conversation throughout the week as issues that patients want to address come up.
Cost
- Unlimited messaging therapy (including teens) — starts at $65 per week
- Live talk therapy unlimited — $99 per week
- Couples therapy — starts at $89 per week
Bottom line Whether you’re looking for an affordable way to dip your toe into therapy or have trouble remembering all the things you want to talk about during a single, weekly appointment, Talkspace is a great option for establishing a fluid therapeutic conversation.
For more information, check out Talkspace.com.
Justin Laube, MD
Medical Reviewer
Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.
He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He completed his three-year residency training in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles on the primary care track and a two-year fellowship in integrative East-West primary care at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine.
He is currently taking a multiyear personal and professional sabbatical to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, disease, and the processes of healing. He is developing a clinical practice for patients with complex trauma, as well as for others going through significant life transitions. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community.
Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students.
