Have you experienced a medical problem like altitude sickness, a urinary tract infection or pink eye? You had a strong suspicion about what was wrong with you. You just needed quick confirmation from a medical pro and a prescription so you could start healing fast and carry on with life.

That’s when a virtual urgent care visit is the perfect solution.

Without having to make an appointment at your doctor’s office — and without leaving your home — you can quickly see a medical provider by simply pulling out your phone, a tablet or your computer. You simply log into UCHealth’s My Health Connection patient portal, schedule a virtual urgent care visit, and minutes later, you’ll be meeting with a provider through a secure video connection.

Convenient and always available: remote visits with medical pros at UCHealth Virtual Urgent Care

During a virtual urgent care visit, patients describe their symptoms while providers ask questions to determine if the patient needs to see a provider in person. If a patient needs a prescription for an issue like a urinary tract infection, the provider can quickly submit a prescription, and the patient can pick it up right away.

Whether you’re busy with work, heading out of town on a trip or planning to go skiing or camping, a virtual urgent care visit is a great option.

Virtual Urgent Care shortens wait times and connects patients to care  

UCHealth’s Virtual Urgent Care service is available to all patients who call from within Colorado. Those who are not in the UCHealth system need only to open a My Health Connection account and schedule an appointment. Rather than being placed in a queue, patients choose from time slots that are available every 20 minutes around the clock, seven days a week. Insurance may cover the cost of the visit.

“The biggest advantage is the convenience,” said Dr. Michael Mitchell, medical director for the Virtual Urgent Care. “Doing a visit from home also means that you are not exposing anyone or being exposed to anyone in a [physical] clinic.”

Patients love being able to address their medical issues in a low-stress, convenient way without having to head into a medical facility. Especially when you’re feeling sick, it’s great to get care from the comfort of your own home.

There are some medical challenges for which the Virtual Urgent Care is perfect. But there are times when patients need to see a medical provider in person.

When not to use Virtual Urgent Care

So when do you need to see a doctor in person?

If you have suffered a serious injury or have serious conditions such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe abdominal pain or have a medical emergency, go to the nearest emergency department.

If you need a physical examination, X-rays, lab work or other procedures, you need to see a doctor in person.

Does insurance cover virtual urgent care?

Original Medicare and many Medicare Advantage plans cover virtual urgent care from home. You can check on your plan to be sure. But even if your individual plan doesn’t cover the cost of the visit, you can choose the self-pay option for just $59.

For most insurance plans, UCHealth will attempt to bill your insurance for a telemedicine visit. You may be responsible for your co-pay amount prior to seeing the provider.

Boosting convenience for patients: Virtual Urgent Care provides another option

The Virtual Urgent Care also helps to allocate care more efficiently across the UCHealth system, Mitchell said.

Video visits are ideal for patients with a predetermined list of complaints that can be “reasonably managed” remotely: urinary tract infections, seasonal allergies, sinus infections, and cold and flu symptoms, for example. Meanwhile, walk-in urgent care centers, clinics, emergency departments and hospitals provide appropriate additional services.

“We used to go to the hospital for everything,” Mitchell said. “Now we are decentralizing care, with hospitals reserved for patients who are most in need.”

The Virtual Urgent Care serves both adults and children, noted nurse manager Olivia Thornton. That’s a big plus for parents, she said.

“We see a lot of moms who don’t have time to go in to see a provider,” Thornton said. “The option to not expose themselves or their kids has been great for them.”

Thornton added that patients can upload photos to show their provider during a Virtual Urgent Care visit.

“That’s great for parents if their kid has a rash, for example,” Thornton said.

Carly Mompellier, a physician assistant with the Virtual Urgent Care, said that as a provider, she appreciates the benefits that virtual care offers patients. She recently came on board after caring for patients face-to-face in urgent care clinics, emergency departments and in-home care settings.

“I have seen the stress of patients being able to obtain care [despite obstacles] such as functional limitations, time limitations and availability limitations, to name a few,” Mompellier said.

The Virtual Urgent Care enables her to “render the best possible care and mitigate the stress that I have felt with patients in my previous experiences,” she said.

After working in “brick-and-mortar” facilities, Mompellier added, “It is a breath of fresh air to have all of the same [urgent care] capabilities at my fingertips.”

More services in the works

Mitchell said UCHealth experts are continuing to add new services to improve patient convenience.

These innovations include:

• Delivering prescriptions directly to patients via mail or another route. “We’re talking about which patients would benefit most,” Mitchell said.
• Reviewing and possibly expanding the list of complaints that providers at the Virtual Health Center can treat.
• Possibly sending providers to patients’ homes to conduct additional tests or to get blood work and imaging.

“Our goal is to meet patients where they are,” Thornton said. “We find what is convenient for you.”