How I decreased my wait time to see a Doctor

Have you ever sat in a waiting room for hours wondering..."there has to be a better way to see a Doctor.".  Well, there might be a way for you to avoid waiting rooms all together!

About a week after I started working at the radio station, I got sick.  Unfortunately, when I get sick, I tend to get bronchitis or pneumonia quite a bit faster than others.  I tried some home remedies and even asked those who were listening to send me tips to get over a cold.  I even made a blog post and video with the Top tips to get over a cold based on all of the emails and comments I was sent.  I was determined to beat this thing - mostly because my last waiting room visit was 2 hours.
My lungs called it quits on a Sunday morning.  I was on day 3 of the worst symptoms and only was getting about 2 hours of sleep a night while sitting in a chair.  I walked upstairs to let my husband know I was going to go find a Doctor rather than go to church that day.  It was at that moment that I learned a new way to see a Doctor that allowed me to avoid the waiting room.

Our insurance company approved of an online source to see a Doctor; Live Health. Their website states:

"Sometimes you just need a doctor. And thanks to the Internet, you can connect to one anytime, anywhere – whether it’s the middle of the night or the middle of a road trip. Sign up for LiveHealth Online and have a face-to-face conversation on your computer or mobile device. Download our app or sign up online today."

 

I felt so crummy and I did not want to be around people so I decided to try it out.  I downloaded the app on my phone, filled out some online paperwork and sat in bed while I waited for my turn to speak with my new Doctor.  

My wait was 5 minutes.  I spoke to a real person where we went over my history, symptoms and I know she heard me coughing too.  After our brief conversation, a prescription was sent to a local pharmacy.

Here's the kicker of the whole thing...I went to get my prescription shortly after that call and this was about 30 minutes after the walk-in clinics open around Rochester.  I walked to the pharmacy area and the line to see the Doctor in the walk-in clinic was 8 deep and the room was already full of people sitting in all the chairs.  The wait was over 2 hours.  People walked out because the line was so long.

Live Health isn't perfect for all but for my case, it was a great option and I was able to rest even more at home.  I will definitely be using this online service again.

For just a common cold...there are still great ways to beat it at home.  I still believe in all the tips listeners gave.  You can find that original post here and the video below.