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Cold and flu season is here.
It will soon be the time of year when doctors' offices and instacare urgent care clinics begin to fill up. In addition to the holidays, cold and flu season often brings unwanted delays in wait times to receive care.
The Intermountain Connect Care telehealth service allows patients of all ages, including infants, to have an urgent care visit from the comfort of home or anywhere on the go. This service is helpful for moms of children who cannot be tugged in all directions and need to know if they should seek additional medical care for their little ones.
The Intermountain Connect Care service is open 24 hours, every day of the year, including holidays. This is a great service for the middle of the night or holiday weekends when an instacare clinic may be closed.
Access is as simple as downloading the Connect Care or MyHealth+ app and creating an account.
"Connect Care is a great way of receiving on-demand medical advice for minor illnesses and injuries. We try to keep you out of the doctor's office as much as possible when you are sick," said Cody Tapp, an Intermountain Health certified physician associate. "However, some conditions do require an in-person examination. Everyone is welcome to connect with us and we can at least have a conversation with you and let you know if it is something we can treat or if it is something that you should seek a higher level of care for."
Care you can access outside Utah during the holidays
If you're outside of Utah for the holidays, check the right location box when logging in for your Connect Care visit to ensure you are connected with a healthcare provider licensed in the state you are in. Connect Care clinicians cannot see you if you are out of the country.
Providers can prescribe antibiotics, if necessary for treatment. If they are unable to treat someone via Connect Care, they will refer them to in-person care, and reverse the charge for the visit.
"We hear time and time again that people are so thankful to talk to a licensed medical professional in the comfort of their own home whether it is after hours, in the middle of the night, or even during the day. Most of the time, we can give recommendations for your symptoms," Tapp said. "Entering what is expected to be a nasty viral season, we encourage everyone to try Connect Care if you are unable to get in touch with your primary care provider."
Connect Care is commonly used to treat conditions such as colds, eye infections, flu, joint pain, skin problems, painful urination, and allergies. However, clinicians are not able to treat ear pain, prescribe pain medications or other controlled substances, or provide more than a month's worth of medication refills. For emergencies, always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Services offered in many languages
Additionally, language interpretation is available on Connect Care. Upon entering the virtual waiting room, an interpreter will be available to assist.
Insurance is not required for an appointment. Depending on your insurance, visits may cost $0. Most insurances cover Intermountain Connect Care visits, minus a deductible. Some insurers even waive the deductible. It is recommended to check with your insurance provider for specifics on your plan.
For patients who don't have insurance, Intermountain Connect Care visits are only $69.
For more information about the Intermountain Connect Care service, go to intermountainconnectcare.org to learn more.
