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Media Frequently Asked Questions
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TelaDoc is a network of licensed, primary care physicians that provides its members with around-the-clock access to telephone medical consults. TelaDoc physicians evaluate and diagnose most minor medical problems and, when appropriate, prescribe medications. Members can reach a consulting physician from their home, office, hotel room or on the road – 24/7/365. Accessing medical treatment is easy and affordable.
When individuals register for membership in TelaDoc, they provide information that builds their own unique electronic medical record (EMR), which the consulting physicians utilize during medical consultations. All TelaDoc services maintain patient confidentiality and conform to HIPAA guidelines.
* Currently not offered in Oklahoma and South Carolina.
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TelaDoc answers the need for high quality, cost-effective medical care. It is a valuable benefit that complements current health insurance coverage, resolving routine medical issues at a fraction of the cost of a normal visit to the urgent care facility, emergency room or doctor’s office.
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TelaDoc was formed by physicians, professionals, engineers and business executives who recognized that the technology used to assess problems aboard a space craft or on the other side of the world can be utilized for patients living in the United States. This group of visionaries started TelaDoc to apply modern telecommunications technology to the problem of patient access to care. All a member needs is a telephone to connect with TelaDoc.
Several of the doctors, who were working in private practice, recognized that while seeing a physician was crucial to the longer term management of many medical problems, a visit to the clinic was not always required. TelaDoc addresses routine medical issues without the hassle, time and cost of visits to the doctor’s office, an urgent care center or the ER.
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Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are usually aligned with high-deductible health plans that put consumers in charge of making their own health care decisions. Consumers bear the financial responsibility as well as the risk for their choice of providers.
TelaDoc is a consumer-centric model offering individuals convenient and affordable access to quality medical care. As a result, consumers have expressed high levels of satisfaction with TelaDoc services.
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TelaDoc is not insurance. It is a value-added benefit that complements existing coverage. TelaDoc members receive CMS 1500 receipts to file for reimbursement or to apply towards a deductible. Members should check with their respective providers to see if TelaDoc is a covered expense.
TelaDoc consults can be paid for with health savings account (HSA) dollars.
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Yes. Prescriptions can be phoned in to the member's pharmacy of choice. The consulting physician can provide acute prescriptions and convenience refills for most prescriptions if they are already noted in the patient’s medical history; however, the physician will not write prescriptions for DEA controlled substances.
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The consulting physicians are another source of medical care that complements the services of a member’s primary care physician (PCP). TelaDoc coordinates care with members and their primary care physicians, as appropriate. If a member doesn’t have a PCP, the TelaDoc service can help the member obtain a consult from a consulting physician on a timely basis.
Here are some of the reasons individuals utilize TelaDoc services:
- Telephone medical consult fees are comparable to co-pays.
- Busy private physicians are not always available when a patient prefers them to be.
- When a member's private physician is unable to see them on the same day they call, the TelaDoc service can provide a convenient alternative by arranging for the member to speak to a consulting physician in 3 hours or less.
- When a trip to the doctor's office is inconvenient or impossible, the TelaDoc membership service can arrange a convenient consult the same day.
- A medical phone consultation can reduce or eliminate time away from work for minor medical problems.
- A medical phone consultation for minor medical problems can prevent costly trips to the emergency department.
- Consulting physicians always have access to a member’s personal EHR.
- Consulting physicians may first recommend appropriate over-the-counter (OTC) medications but will prescribe medications, when necessary.
- Members can get documented reports for submission to PCPs or third-party administrator
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No. The TelaDoc membership service is designed to handle minor medical problems only and then to refer the patient back to their primary care physician.
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Yes. In all cases, a consulting physician licensed in your state will call you back within 3 hours or less. When members call the TelaDoc toll-free 800 number, the TelaDoc Call Center representative will arrange for the consulting physician to return the call at the first opportunity.
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Diagnosing a patient’s medical condition is a collaborative process between the member and the doctor:
- At the start of the doctor-patient consult, the doctor questions the patient about any changes in his/her medical condition since the last contact.
- The patient’s symptoms are evaluated against his/her medical history provided during the member registration process.
- Patients articulate their current condition, answer specific follow-up questions and confer with the consulting physician, who – in most cases – makes the diagnosis and develops a treatment plan.
- In some cases the consulting physician may phone in a prescription to the member’s pharmacy of choice; sometimes the consulting physician will suggest that the member see a PCP for Xrays or lab tests in order to appropriately evaluate your problem; and in all cases the member is encouraged to follow-up with his/her family physician in order to ensure continuity of care
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All consulting physicians will be specialists in emergency medicine, family practice or general internal medicine. In addition, all undergo a thorough credentialing process to verify medical licensure, training and education, work history and malpractice history.
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During the registration process, members complete a Medical History Disclosure that serves as an electronic record of the individual’s medical history and healthcare profile. The TelaDoc disclosure is similar to the information an individual provides during his or her first visit to a PCP, including past medical history, previous surgeries, chronic illnesses, cholesterol levels, medications or allergies. Members can access and update their medical histories at any time by signing in to their accounts at www.Teladoc.com or by calling 1-800-TelaDoc.
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