Fast access to medical care when urgent treatment is needed, but your condition is not an emergency

On-demand care options allow patients to receive timely medical evaluation and treatment without having to go to the emergency department for non-emergency illnesses or minor injuries. Many common conditions can be diagnosed, prescribed, and follow-up via virtual visit or same day clinic.

Through services like Omnia Telehealth patients are able to connect with licensed clinicians from anywhere. Virtual visits can provide evaluation and treatment of many non-emergency conditions while minimizing wait time, cost, and preventing interruptions with your primary care doctor.

On-demand healthcare provides expedited care for acute conditions. While these ailments are not life-threatening, many require timely treatment that can’t wait for a scheduled appointment. Treatment through urgent-care centers and virtual visits fill the gap between primary care and emergency rooms.

When is on-demand care appropriate?

Conditions often treated with on-demand care services include:

• Cold and flu symptoms
• Minor infections like UTIs or sinus infections
• Rashes or mild allergic reactions
• Sprains, strains and other small injuries
• Medication refills or symptoms management

Clinicians are available to assess symptoms quickly and provide rapid treatment options. If certain tests are needed to evaluate symptoms, clinicians can also facilitate referrals and follow-up after testing is complete.

Urgent Care vs Emergency Care

Patients often wonder what level of care they need for illness or injury. When symptoms are concerning but not life-threatening, virtual visits or urgent care centers are suitable options.

Moderate symptoms that should be addressed quickly include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Mild cough or other breathing symptoms
• Sprains or strains
• Minor cuts that won’t need stitches

Symptoms that suggest serious risk require emergency care. Patients experiencing the following symptoms should go to the emergency room:

• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Confusion
• Heavy bleeding that can’t be controlled
• Severe breathing problems
• Severe injury or loss of consciousness

Retail Clinics and Virtual Care Options Are Becoming More Common

Telehealth and retail clinic options have expanded over the last decade. Many retail clinics began as basic immunization centers but have since grown to offer testing, treatment prescriptions, and follow-up care.

Virtual care clinics offer patients access to clinicians through video visits, secure messaging, and remote monitoring options. Patients can talk with clinicians from home for many common illness and injury concerns.

Virtual care and retail clinic options are often appealing to patients who can schedule an appointment instead of waiting with urgent concerns, have evening and weekend hours, and cost less than emergency department care.

Some examples of everyday conditions that can be treated quickly with on-demand care:

Common Colds and Viruses

Cough, sore throat, fever, and congestion can all be evaluated by clinician via telemedicine. Providers evaluate patients symptoms to decide if testing, antiviral medications, or rest and fluids are needed.

Patients can also get recommendations for over-the-counter cold remedies and how to best manage symptoms at home.

Injuries, Sprains, Cuts and Rashes

Minor cuts, twisted ankles, minor burns, itchy rashes, and other localized injuries can often be treated at urgent-care clinics or via virtual visits with a clinician.

Clinicians can provide patients with steps for wound care, prescriptions for topical creams or oral medications, and follow up as needed. Many clinics allow patients to send in photos of their injuries or provide video calls so clinicians can see symptoms.

If symptoms are not improving or if there are warning signs of infection (fevers, oozing, increased pain), patients will be advised to seek in-person care.

Telemedicine allows patients to speak with clinicians instantly through video conferencing. Patients can show providers symptoms with live or recorded videos and photos.

Clinicians use this information to provide evaluation and treatment recommendations. When prescriptions are needed, providers can send these electronically to nearby pharmacies while the patient is still on the phone or video-chatting with the provider.

Telemedicine can also be beneficial for patients who live in remote locations, have disabilities that limit their ability to travel to a doctor’s office, or patients who are traveling outside of their home area.

Providers can also offer home monitoring devices that transmit information like blood pressure readings or oxygen levels directly to clinicians.

With on-demand care, patients can receive fast care without contributing to emergency department overcrowding.

When patients use virtual care options and retail clinics for minor illnesses, there are less people going to the emergency department for non-emergency conditions. Emergency departments can dedicate more time and resources to patients who are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency.

Patients experience shorter wait times and often lower out-of-pocket expenses for treatment.

On-demand care still interfaces with your primary care doctor to maintain continuity of care.

Virtual visits and urgent care clinics will often send a summary of the visit and recommended care plan to the patient’s primary care doctor. Having outside providers communicate with your primary care doctor ensures seamless, ongoing care and reduces unnecessary testing and conflicting medications.

Easier transfer of medical records between health providers allows clinicians to provide on-demand care while maintaining patient safety.

On-demand care clinics still use clinical protocols to ensure patients receive appropriate care.

Clinicians follow clinical guidelines when assessing patients, looking for concerning symptoms, and triaging patients to emergency care if needed. Providing medications also requires safety checks to ensure correct dosing and reduce negative interactions.

However, telemedicine doesn’t always provide sufficient information for clinicians to assess your needs. If physical exam findings, imaging studies, or lab tests are needed, clinicians will recommend patients come into a clinic for evaluation. Some clinicians may even recommend visiting a specialist.

Omnia Telehealth provides on-demand care for patients that need immediate attention but aren’t experiencing an emergency.

Video visits with a clinician allow patients to get fast professional guidance for common illnesses from anywhere. On-demand care can diagnose non-emergency conditions while minimizing disruption to scheduled care with your primary care provider.

When choosing on-demand care, ensure you know what services are provided and that clinicians are licensed, and follow your clinicians’ recommended care plan at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is on-demand healthcare?

On-demand care provides patients access to clinicians quickly when they need care but do not have an emergency. This can include virtual care (telemedicine), urgent-care clinics, and retail medical clinics.

When should I go to urgent care instead of the ER?

If you are experiencing mild respiratory symptoms, small lacerations, minor infections, flu-like symptoms, or other non-life threatening ailments, you should seek urgent care. Urgent care centers are better equipped to handle these illnesses than emergency rooms. Go to the emergency room for severe symptoms including chest pain, severe injury, heavy bleeding, and severe breathing problems.

How does virtual urgent care work?

Patients can schedule virtual visits through clinician services online. Patients provide symptoms to triage nurses and then connect to a clinician via video chat or phone. Clinicians can evaluate patients conditions and provide treatment recommendations. Clinicians can also send prescriptions directly to a pharmacy while the patient is still on the call.

Will my insurance cover on-demand care visits?

Many insurance companies cover telehealth and urgent care visits, but will vary by insurance provider. Your copay and deductible will apply.

Can I get prescriptions from telemedicine visits?

Clinicians can prescribe medications during telehealth visits. Many medications can be prescribed, but for controlled substances an in-person visit may be required.