Telehealth and telemedicine have been used interchangeably by users and clients across the state. They don’t differ greatly from one another. Only that telehealth is broader in scope because it also includes non-clinical training, education, and administration services.
However you address them, it cannot be denied that the industry has expanded into the different fields of specialization in medicine, offering savings for those that require actual doctor-patient interaction. May it be medical concerns about your eyes, teeth, skin, heart, kidney, mental health, or the health of your child, you can now consult, ask for a second opinion, get diagnosed, treated, and medicated virtually any time without having to leave the comforts of your home.
It had its beginnings in the 1940s in the field of radiology. Even though it was just a simple transmission of images, it marked the beginning of telehealth progress. Successors in the field began improving and making new inventions to cope with modern technology, which has brought us telemedicine as we know it now. Video conferencing, e-mail, phone messaging, and other mobile or digital ways to serve the purpose of telemedicine have paved the way for more efficient and convenient healthcare through this means.
It is being utilized by doctors from different fields and has bridged the gap between healthcare, distance, disability, and time.
Below is a list of the 20 best telehealth companies that could accommodate your health concerns in their respective field of expertise:
Opthalmology
EyecareLive
Cost: Starts at $59 per visit
Insurance accepted? Yes. Prescriptions are covered as well.
At EyecareLive, you have two options. You can either see an available doctor virtually or have an appointment scheduled with your regular eye doctor. If you have the symptoms of a computer vision syndrome, such as dry eyes, red or pink eye, eye allergies, lid swelling, bumps, or styes, have a licensed eye doctor examine, diagnose, and prescribe medication for you over at EyecareLive. They have both optometrists and ophthalmologists on the medical board list so every eye condition can be accommodated.
They have a 4-step guide to complete your virtual visit:
- Sign up to get connected with an eye doctor within your area.
- Get a personalized treatment plan by providing a detailed description and other information on your eye concern and significant medical histories.
- Wait an hour to connect with the licensed eye care provider through a video call.
- Have an e-prescription sent to your chosen pharmacy or have your medications delivered to your doorstep. You can also have your prescriptions refilled after a quick check-up.
You can do all of these steps more conveniently through the EyecareLive app, which can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store. With the app, you can access all your medical records and take eye tests from time to time to see if there are any changes with your sight you should be concerned with.
Mental Health
Sanvello
Cost: Subscription starts at $8.99 a month
Insurance accepted? Yes
Be free about when to see your therapist and feel better anytime and anywhere you are. You can schedule a half-hour, 45-minute, or an hour-long therapy through a video call with licensed clinicians.
The licensed psychiatrist who will see you is licensed in the state where you reside. He or she will assess your psychological profile and analyze your needs to arrive at a therapy plan that would be most effective for your case. They collaborate with your primary care physician who referred you to ensure a holistic approach, including your physical and mental health.
Like in other medical fields, there are cases when you are advised to visit an actual doctor’s office to be properly assessed and treated. This applies to conditions where you exhibit severely acute symptoms of personality, eating, and substance abuse disorders.
They have three categories of therapy, namely, self-care, peer support, and coaching. A self-care subscription costs $8.99 per month and $53.99 for a year-round subscription, which will give you access to self-care tools. The coaching package includes self-care tools, one-on-one coach messaging, and coaching classes costs $50 monthly or $350 yearly. Both can be covered by insurance. The Sanvello Therapy package includes all independent packages and costs $140 depending on the length of each session.
In their app, which can be found in the App Store and Google Play, you can join the community in discussing and sharing your own experiences.
Inpathy
Cost: Depends on your choice of provider and therapy to be availed
Insurance accepted? Yes
The services they offer are online psychiatric assessments, talk therapy, and online psychiatrist prescription management. The psychiatry providers at Inpathy can diagnose you by assessing your medical history, including the physical, mental, and behavioral aspects. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other child mental disorders are likewise treated by their licensed psychiatrists.
To begin your journey to better mental health, fill-up the registration form found on their website, wait for confirmation through e-mail, and follow the steps indicated therein. You can then get to choose a provider found in their directory that you think would cater to your needs. To see if you are indeed compatible with your chosen provider, they have a test session that you can schedule upon having made a choice. If you want another session, you can schedule your follow-up appointments after that.
If you are unable to focus, are experiencing stress, sadness, worry, or have relationship issues, licensed therapists and psychiatrists at Inpathy offer talk therapy to help you address these issues. They have depression psychologists who can talk and explore your feelings and thoughts that negatively impact your day-to-day life. They also offer anxiety and stress management counseling for those who have phobias, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social disorder, along with its symptoms. Relationship counseling can be attended individually or together with your partner before a licensed marriage and family therapist virtually.
If you are going through a crisis and need immediate help, Inpathy strongly suggests that you call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1.800.273.8255.
Emergency Medicine
Vituity
Cost: Depends on the service and insurance coverage
Insurance accepted? Yes, specifically Cigna
If you’re looking for a licensed and experienced ER doctor, you no longer have to go to an actual emergency room. All you have to do is book an On Duty® virtual visit to have a board-certified ER doctor see you. They cover a long list of ailments and injuries, including but not limited to burns, bites, rashes, sports injuries like strains and sprains, headaches, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, sore throats, fever, flu, and many others. If you think you’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you can ask doctors at Vituity to enlighten, triage, and properly diagnose you.
After an initial assessment, the doctor can either present you with a treatment plan or, if needed, suggest that you seek in-person care with your doctor, clinic, emergency room visit, or urgent care center. They will also help you set up that visit.
You can be diagnosed, presented with a treatment plan, and given a prescription in just minutes. You don’t even have to book an appointment. Get connected 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year by downloading their app on Google Play and App Store. Upon opening the app, you’ll be asked a few questions so that they can assess your medical situation, and within minutes, you will already see your doctor. The service is fast and reliable. There is no time limit for every visit so that you can ask all relevant questions about your subject of consultation.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
WWeCare
Cost and insurance: Covered by workers’ compensation insurance company
WWeCare or Workwell has an exclusive board of experts in occupational and environmental medicine or OEM. Upon registration, they will send you a video uplink that will connect you with an expert in the field.
You can utilize their services for worker’s comp triage and initial visits, independent medical examinations (IME), ongoing injury care and management, and case reviews instead of visiting the doctor’s office. But don’t forget to report or inform your employer first about your injury to schedule a virtual visit with WWeCare.
Drug testing, general employee screening, and physical evaluations are also offered to employers. Download from Google Play or the App Store, depending on your operating system, to easily access WWeCare for any OEM needs, whether you’re an employer or a worker.
Aside from medical attention to workers’ comp, they also give ergonomic evaluations and employee training to reduce the possibility of injuries happening in the workplace and promote safety and efficiency. This program includes functional job descriptions, body mechanics training, job site analysis, and many others. It’s not only applicable for the industrial workplace but also for offices and in retail.
Infectious Diseases
Infectious Disease Doctor Online
Cost: $100 /30-minute session with Dr. Jalali
ID physicians at IDDoctoronline Human specialize in immunodeficiency virus (HIV), COVID-19, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), along with other infections and diseases caused by parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They also have experts dealing with vaccines and antibiotic resistance. Some of the more common diseases they deal with are pneumonia, Lyme disease, tuberculosis, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and multidrug-resistant emerging infections.
Aside from diagnosing and treating infectious diseases, management of the same is one of the primary concerns at IDDoctoronline. Every treatment plan is unique to every individual, depending on genetics, medical history, and other factors like one’s community. The ID doctors see to it that the plan is customized according to the patient’s need and would be the most effective treatment method.
They also have a program dedicated to travel medicine to help you prepare for any diseases you might catch during and after international flights. This is done by education, immunization, and following safety protocols. They might suggest you get vaccinated against endemic viruses and diseases in your area of destination.
To schedule an appointment, you must fill up a request form for an online appointment on their website. Dr. Ziba Jalali is an infectious disease specialist experienced in the field and has spent more than 20 years treating patients.
USA Health
Cost: See Price Index
Insurance accepted: Yes
Infectious disease providers at USA Health have further specializations in the sub-branches of infectious disease.
They specialize in adult infectious disease and pediatric infectious disease. Adult infectious diseases include Escherichia coli (E. coli), hepatitis, MRSA, blood infections, Staphylococcus aureus infections, and tropical diseases. The latter are viruses and bacterium that thrive in a temperate climate, such as dengue, arbovirus, AIDS, yellow fever, cholera, and malaria.
In the category of pediatric infectious disease, they will explain how bacteria and viruses are present everywhere and the way they spread in our homes from our doorknobs, handles, toys, countertops, and other surfaces. USA Health providers also treat infections that can be passed by a mother to the fetus during pregnancy.
Rabies, trichinellosis, cat-scratch disease, and other illnesses brought about by pets and ticks are also treated comprehensively.
They don’t just stop at treating various diseases and illnesses caused by microbes. They innovate and research new ways to treat and care for their patients through clinical trials. Management and community awareness are also key factors looked into by experts that could help prevent many viruses and infections.
To have a virtual visit, simply complete the patient information form stating basic information about you, medical concern subject of consultation, doctor of your choice, and health insurance provider, if any.
Endocrinology and Diabetes Care
SugarMDs
Cost: Starts at $299
Insurance accepted: Yes, specifically Medicare, BCBS, Cigna, Aetna, and United
Whether you’re looking for a diagnosis, a treatment plan, prescription management, or a way to control your blood sugar, Dr. Ahmet Ergin can provide you with the best way to deal with your diabetes. You do not only get a board-certified personal endocrinologist or diabetologist but an overall health coach as well.
The SugarMDs App plays a vital role in the overall treatment plan of type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It’s like a personal journal of your food intake, activity, and medications for the day. That way, your medical provider can have a more comprehensive look at your lifestyle and how it affects your blood sugar. Based on gathered information, your doctor can then lay out a schedule as to how many times you should check your blood sugar and notify you when it should be done. The app can also be downloadable in Google Play.
You can have on-demand access to a licensed endocrinologist any time of the day, 24/7, and anywhere you may be through the app, by text, or by e-mail. Diabetes and fluctuations of one’s blood sugar levels should be closely monitored to avoid complications and rush to the emergency room.
Nephrology
The Virtual Nephrologist
Cost: Starts at $150
Insurance accepted: Yes
One must have a Zoom app installed on their device before the scheduled virtual consultation. If you wish to have your consultation done through other video conferencing tools, you can inform them beforehand for convenience and smoother flow of the virtual visit. Take note that you will have to download several forms, which shall be completed and faxed back to them so that they would be able to take a better and detailed look at your medical care.
The services they offer include providing information and treatment for chronic kidney diseases, hypertension, dialysis, transplant, and Metabolic Syndrome. Their website is very educational as they lay down facts, statistics, patient’s guide, options, what can complicate matters, and informational videos that will help patients better understand their medical situation.
Rates depend on the audiovisual consultation length, which could run from 15 minutes to 60 minutes and cost about $150-$400 with an additional $50 for every 15 minutes after that. If you want your medical records and history to be reviewed by a panel of nephrologists, you will have to pay $150 for a 30-minute review of up to 50 pages and an additional $100 for another 30 minutes and 50 pages. For a more comprehensive and detailed medical report, including an opinion, the minimum rate is $300.
Family Medicine
Sound Family Medicine
Cost and Insurance accepted: Selected Insurance Plans only subject to limitations; See Billing and Insurance
If you’re new to Sound Family, you should go through a video visit first, while established patients may opt for a simple telephone visit instead. A video consultation is necessary for first-time patients so that medical providers can create their profile, be included in the MySFM Patient Portal, and experience the convenience of doing everything online – from paying your bills, booking or rescheduling appointments, getting e-copies of your results, and refilling your prescriptions.
All video visits should be booked beforehand by calling 253-848-5951 because there are no on-demand consultations. Before your scheduled appointment, you should expect a call from one of their medical assistants to ask for your personal information and medical history. The last step is to click the link sent to you either through mail or text. You are now connected with your family medicine provider. There is no need to download any application.
As for now, only conditions involving allergies, chronic pain, mental health evaluations, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, follow-ups, and parenting questions are accommodated while appointments that require a physical exam, testing, open wound injuries, and pregnancy-related concerns are not entertained as of this moment.
You can follow Sound Family on Facebook and Instagram to keep yourself updated on schedules, programs, and other information.
Doctor on Demand
Cost: $75 per 15-minute consultation
Insurance accepted: Yes.
At Doctor on Demand, you can be sure that your family, especially your children, is in good hands. With providers who are available 24/7 and offer support with your healthy habits and routines daily, you can be sure that the family stays in tip-top shape.
They can offer you nutritional plans for your day-to-day intake and immunization plans for you and your child. Issues of vitamin deficiency, growth milestones, development counseling, obesity, and weight management are some of the primary specialties offered at Doctor on Demand. They also cover Women’s and Men’s wellness as well as overall lifestyle counseling for the family. Medication management is also included in the program, where you will be educated about the proper and safe use of generic medications.
They don’t accommodate those that require a doctor’s in-office visit or a trip to the hospital, such as loss of consciousness, coughing blood, chest pain, stroke, fractures, severe burns, and lacerations. If you have ear infections, they may assist you with a digital otoscope at hand, allowing the physician to see even through a video consult. They also deal with traumatic brain and spinal cord injury but only in an aftercare scenario and not in an emergency.
To access and communicate with them 24/7, you can download their app in the App Store or Google Play.
Radiology
NightHawk Radiology®
Image Source
Cost and Insurance accepted: You can ask for a Quote before availing of their services
They have subspecialties at Nighthawk Radiology, including musculoskeletal radiology, emergency radiology, neuroradiology, chest radiology, head and neck radiology, pediatric radiology, women’s imaging & mammography, and even cardiovascular radiology. These are hard to find specialists who are not always available at every facility.
You can have 1:1 access to US Board-certified and Fellowship-trained radiologists day and night, weekdays and weekends, whole year-round. Usually, they accept readings from outpatient facilities, radiology groups, mobile medical services, hospitals, urgent care facilities, and other private practices. This practice can save healthcare facilities time and money while still bringing quality medical care to their patients and customers.
Just send in your results. They will read them for you and send you reports with their findings and diagnoses. You can expect a turnaround time of 20 minutes for STAT exams and 90 minutes for routine exams.
In addition to their medical services, they also help those in the legal practice. They serve as an independent reviewer of cases that require expert medical opinion. They offer in-depth case reviews in medical malpractice, worker’s compensation, insurance claims, and medical malpractice. They could provide you organized information and evidence that can strengthen your case. Multiple accesses are given to your legal team members so everyone can have a clear picture of the case without having to keep sending updated results to each individual.
National Diagnostic Imaging
Cost: $8 to $75 for reading depending on the modality required
Insurance accepted: Yes. Medicare and Medicaid
Imaging services offered at NDI are readings, overreading, second opinions, and secondary interpretations. It covers a wide option of modalities from X-rays, CT scans, mammography, MSK, MRI, ultrasound, and many others. Subspecialties are the primary focus at the National Diagnostic Imaging, making hard to find and long-taking results accessible to the medical community. This is all made possible through their modern picture archiving and communication system (PACS) that allows DICOM images to be captured from their devices and has an integrated program that automatically sends them for reading to the appropriate expert for that specific case.
For second opinions and interpretations, they have a per study rate depending on the medical case’s complexity, which could range from $100 to $350. They offer overreads for medical diagnostic and legal overreads, positron emission tomography (PET), ultrasound, x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and “B” Reading Services.
They don’t just accept results from facilities and individuals who want a second look and fresh opinion on their results for something previous radiologists might have missed who first analyzed them. They can be reached 24/7 from anywhere in the state and even in other countries.
All the information and documents you need can be accessed through NDI’s storage system and referring physician portal. Results and reports are exchanged through fax, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or Health Level Seven (HL7).
Pediatric
Anytime Pediatrics
Cost: $50
Insurance accepted: Yes.
If you are looking for a telemedicine site that is focused on children’s health, Anytime Pediatrics is the right telehealth to visit. They have a vast network of board-certified pediatricians, so the chances of connecting with your regular pediatrician are high. If your listed pediatrician is not a member or is not available, you still get to be seen by his or her preferred pediatrician as well. It builds a stronger network and rapport among specialists in the field.
Before you can book a visit with a pediatrician, you have to be a registered member first. To be one, you only need to provide information about your child, a photo, and his or her medical history. After that, you will be connected with a pediatrician who will see your child via video conference, get an accurate diagnosis or be advised to seek consultation in an actual doctor’s office depending on the findings of the physician, and get an e-prescription which can be sent directly to your local pharmacy where you can pick it up.
Upon request, they could also issue your child a medical certificate or note to explain why they missed school.
You can request a demo to see if their service could satisfy your child’s medical needs. Just download the app from Google Play or App Store and control your child’s medical needs.
Oncology
UChicagoMedicine
Cost and Insurance accepted: Depending on the coverage of the insurance plan
They have almost every subspecialty in oncology covered from radiation, pediatric, gynecologic, hematologist-oncologist, surgery experts, and cancer risk and prevention physicians. You can be sure to find one and be connected with them through their site.
UChicagoMedicine can give you an accurate diagnosis, a detailed second opinion report, surgery information, treatment options, prescriptions, and cancer care. You can search their portal for specific doctors you are looking for, by name, expertise or specialty, location, type of cancer subject of your consultation, and even by a language you prefer.
If you already have an oncologist or have already taken a battery of tests for your condition, you can still consult with other board-certified oncologists to have a second look at your case so you can be presented with other options on how to go about with your medical condition which could be more appealable to you.
Book your virtual oncology visits with UChicagoMedicine by calling 1-855-702-8222 if you are a new patient. If you have previously availed of their services and are registered in their system, you can just log in to your account at MyChart, which is also downloadable as an app from the App Store or Google Play. They will be sending you a link via e-mail where you and your provider can have the consultation session virtually.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA)
Cost: Co-pay only along with other balance not covered by an insurance plan
Insurance accepted: Yes
CTCA Anywhere allows you to access your routine check-ups within the comforts of your home. You can have your care team monitor and manage your nutrition, medication, post-surgical follow-up, and more through Microsoft Teams. If you’re deciding to undergo treatment, you can ask experts at CTCA if it’s the best option and offer you pre-treatment advice to help you cope and manage possible side effects.
Besides virtual visits, they also offer Oncology Clinic at Home, where qualified patients can have infusions or injections for their immunotherapy or chemotherapy at home.
They also offer clinical genetics and survivorship support. You can be informed and educated about cancer genetics, which could affect anyone in the family, and have the corresponding counseling fit for your case. In survivorship support, cancer care providers will help you manage cancer’s side effects, such as sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and fatigue. They will also impart knowledge on how you will be able to detect recurring cancers or new ones.
They are reachable anytime for scheduling virtual appointments. The day before your appointment, they will be calling to remind you of the same and have technical tests and checks to ensure that the actual telehealth appointment would have no interruptions. On the day of the appointment, check your e-mail and click “Join Meeting” to start seeing your provider.
Dermatology
MDLive
Cost: $75
Insurance accepted: Yes
MDLive licensed dermatologists can help you deal with more than 3,000 conditions involving the skin, hair, and nails like alopecia, rosacea, psoriasis, acne, eczema, and other common conditions. If you want to be diagnosed or if you have any queries about a certain condition, you can simply send them a photo of your concern along with a detailed description.
Unlike in other telehealth sites, you don’t have to book an appointment at MDLive. They will give you a medical assessment based on the photos and information you sent. If there’s a need for clarifications or further details, they will communicate them with you. If they can give an accurate diagnosis based on what they have received, they will send you a treatment plan along with a prescription. If you prefer, an electronic prescription can be sent to a pharmacy near you, where you can just pick the medications up. All of these can be completed in less than 24 hours.
All medical notes and findings during your consultation can be freely shared with your primary care physician by the dermatologist with who you consulted.
If you are a minor or below 18, you have to ask for your parent’s or guardian’s consent to use their service. Pregnant or those trying to get pregnant and nursing women are also not qualified to avail of teledermatology services as mandated by law.
Pulmonology
SOC Telemed telePulmonology
Cost and Insurance accepted: You can request more information on their site
SOC Telemed technically does not cater to individual patients but hospitals, physician groups, and correctional facilities in general. They help these facilities provide an improved and efficient way of dealing with pulmonary concerns by improving Consumer Medication Information (CMI), increasing patient retention, providing consistent patient care, and managing patient stay in healthcare facilities.
If you have an emergency case to consult, you can rely on board-certified pulmonologists at SOC Telemed to respond quickly to your concerns any time of the day or night, any day of the week. Cases of admitted patients in hospitals with complex and difficult conditions to treat and deal with, including asthma, respiratory failure, COPD, and COVID-19, can likewise be consulted with specialists at SOC. Consults made before 3 PM will be accommodated on that same day, while those submitted after that time will be entertained the next day.
Aside from pulmonologists, they also have board-certified intensivists who are well-experienced in pulmonology and who can offer support when it comes to making admissions, recommendations, treatment plans, and other possible cost-effective answers to the challenges faced by healthcare facilities.
This is their way of addressing the projected shortage of specialty physicians soon – by bringing their knowledge and expertise to facilities nationwide where they would be needed without having to be physically present there. Pulmonology cases could be easily treated and managed with their help.
Women’s Health
Virtuwell
Cost: $59
Insurance accepted: Yes
This 24/7 online clinic serviced by nurse practitioners can be accessed by women of all ages who have urinary tract infections (UTI), yeast infection, genital herpes, clogged duct, mastitis, bacterial vaginosis, birth control, and those who need emergency contraception.
In Virtuwell, they have certain age requirements for the treatment of specific health concerns. They only offer treatment for bacterial vaginosis or Gardernelle for women ages 26 and up. You have to describe in detail the color and odor of your discharge so that they would be able to determine exactly what kind of treatment to prescribe you to return the balance of bacteria in your vagina to normal. Emergency contraception pills or morning-after pills are only available to 18 years old and above women. If taken within 72 hours, it could be effective.
In several cases, they will prescribe you antivirals and antibiotics if necessary and per the limits provided by state law. The entire consultation, diagnosis, and treatment prescription are done in an hour or so.
They will only accept your payment if they provide a treatment plan. Otherwise, they won’t charge you. This is especially true when they come up with the decision that they won’t be able to treat you safely. They also don’t charge a fee if your case is referred to an in-office or in-person consult.
MeMD
Cost: Starts at %67
Insurance accepted: Only FSA, HAS, and HRA
At MeMD, you get to choose the provider who will attend to your health as a woman. It is important because, first and foremost, you must be comfortable to share with your physician important, sensitive, and intimate details about your womanhood.
If you are 18 years old and above, anything about your hair, skin, well-being, and sex can be discussed in a secure and safe space without fear of any information leakage because of their HIPAA compliance and additional integrated security system. Since your comfort is the priority, you can choose between a video examination and audio consultation, whichever way you can fully discuss your concern without hesitation.
Whether it’s PMS, STD, UTI, vaginal dryness, low sex drive, yeast infections, incontinence, or other sex-related conditions, physicians at MeMD will help you talk about them and provide the corresponding treatment. They can prescribe you medications, which they can electronically forward to your local pharmacy for your convenience.
If you have other concerns like acne, dandruff, blackheads, hair thinning on your head, eyelashes, and eyebrows, MeMD physicians can help you deal with them effectively. Remember that not all treatments have the same effect on everyone, so as much as they give you personalized treatment plans, it still depends on how your body accepts and reacts to the treatment. You can always talk to your provider about the results.
Their app is available on both Google Play and App Store.
