Seeking medical care can make us feel vulnerable in more ways than one. We let our family doctors see us at our worst, so we can get back to feeling our best quickly. There’s no question that seeing a familiar face in our weakest moments is a comforting feeling.
But there are times when seeing a medical professional in-person isn’t ideal. When you need treatment for seasonal allergies, a sinus infection or nausea and the waiting room is crowded with flu patients, putting as much space between yourself and contagious illnesses is simply smart self-care.
Avoiding the waiting room is now a reality for patients who want to make sure their immune systems don’t take a hit when they’re already down. Here’s how you can skip it and still get the care you need.
Medical care on your mobile phone
You’ve probably heard the words telehealth and telemedicine before, but what do they really mean? Both terms refer to the same thing: A way to get medical care over your mobile phone.
C Spire and the University of Mississippi Medical Center created the telehealth app C Spire Health to provide access to quick, reliable health care for people in Mississippi who have minor medical conditions.
Anyone physically located in the state can download the app from the Google Play and Apple App stores to any smartphone that runs either the Android or iOS operating systems—no matter their mobile phone carrier.
How to get started with telemedicine
After downloading the app and registering for the service, you will be able to make an appointment and connect your smartphone for a live video session with a UMMC clinician. They can evaluate virtually and prescribe treatments for more than 20 common illnesses ranging from coughs, colds, the flu and seasonal allergies to headaches, earaches, sore throats and insect bites through the telehealth app.
Following a video appointment, the clinician can send prescriptions directly to a pharmacy located in your area. You can use the service without a contract or long-term commitment, easily add family members to your app profile and are charged only at the end of the video appointment. UMMC clinicians are available Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What if my illness can’t be treated through the app?
If a remote clinician determines the patient is dealing with symptoms from a serious or chronic health condition, the person will be directed to their personal doctor, a primary care physician, specialist or a local hospital emergency room for immediate help.
