Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your child is sick or injured, but it's after hours or the weekend, and your regular pediatrician's office is closed? Trying to figure out what to do next can be stressful and frustrating. Fortunately, telemedicine allows parents to chat with pediatricians online anytime, day or night, 24/7/365!
Key Takeaways
- Virtual visits with an online pediatrician allows your child to get timely medical care right from home
- Save time, money, and stress less when your child is ill with services like Blueberry Pediatrics
Why use pediatric telehealth?
Families use online health services for various reasons, including convenience, cost, and accessibility.
Convenience
Amid the hustle of daily life, the convenience of scheduling virtual appointments from home is truly a game-changer! Say goodbye to missed work, travel time, traffic woes, and waiting room blues.
When your little ones aren't feeling their best, you want access to care immediately. Emergency room visits are costly and aren't always the answer. The quest for a same-day appointment often leads to long waits at urgent care. In these moments, an online pediatric visit is a fabulous - and now readily available -option.
Cost
Another great reason to try telehealth is cost-effectiveness. Many online health providers can offer services at a lower price because they don’t have the overhead of physical office space. Some health insurance plans cover virtual health appointments, which are often less expensive than in-person visit fees.
If immediately accessible, cost-effective, quality care from an expert pediatric physician is important to you and your family, consider Blueberry Pediatrics. Blueberry Pediatrics offers unlimited virtual visits with licensed, board-certified pediatricians 24/7. Members pay one low monthly or annual fee, covering all the children in their household. Best of all, there are no per-visit fees or copays!
Accessibility
Online pediatric services are especially helpful to those living in rural areas or with weakened immune systems. The ability to diagnose and treat illnesses and infections at home, under the guidance of a licensed physician, is crucial for those with limited access to traditional healthcare and those needing to minimize exposure to harmful illnesses that may be detrimental to their health.
Quality of Care
As a parent, you want what’s best for your child(ren) and may hesitate when considering virtual care due to quality concerns. Rest assured, as long as you’re speaking with a board-certified pediatrician - an expert physician specialized in caring for the health and wellbeing of children - you’ll receive the same quality care you’ve come to expect in person. All our physicians at Blueberry Pediatrics are board-certified licensed pediatric experts. They will always offer the best, up-to-date, evidence-based medicine delivered with empathy and compassion for your child and family.
What can pediatric telehealth offer?
Pediatricians practicing telemedicine are the same physicians you see at an office. The only difference is you’re virtual - meaning you are discussing your child's health via a phone call, text message, or a video visit. Like in-person visits, the pediatrician will ask questions about why you scheduled the visit and your current concerns, your child’s medical history, medications taken, and any other necessary information. Additionally, parents can upload photos and videos of their children - including eardrums! Based on the information discussed, pediatricians can prescribe medications, order certain laboratory tests, and even write doctor's notes for school!
What can't pediatric telehealth offer?
Sometimes, your child needs immediate, urgent, or emergent care. If your child ever has difficulty breathing, is choking, is experiencing an allergic reaction, has passed out unexpectedly while playing, running, or during a sporting event, or experiences any other life-threatening concern, call 911 immediately and/or go to your nearest emergency room.
Well-child check-ups, vaccines, school/sports physicals (and some illnesses!) require an in-person visit with a physical exam, so they cannot be performed via telemedicine.
Pediatric telemedicine doctors CAN discuss all concerns and help decide if your child needs to be seen urgently/emergently at urgent care, ER, or with your pediatrician. The goal of pediatric telemedicine is to meet with parents quickly, when needed, day or night, to help guide and direct the next best steps to care for your child.
Do online pediatricians replace primary pediatricians and family doctors?
No. Pediatric online care is not a replacement for your primary pediatrician. Forming an ongoing relationship with your pediatrician benefits you, your child(ren), and your family. Your pediatrician knows your child and your family best. Pediatricians monitor growth and development, teach, counsel, educate on safety and prevention, and help parents with discipline, behavior, sleep, transitions, and more!
Primary pediatricians closely monitor your child’s development to ensure they meet developmental milestones and are often the first to recognize when something is off/just not right. Your primary pediatrician is also your best resource for specialty referrals and guidance on specialists local to your area. Additionally, pediatricians will perform recommended testing lab work, check vision and hearing, keep your child up to date on all recommended vaccines to prevent childhood illness and disease, and keep your child healthy!
Can pediatricians give you doctor's notes online?
Yep! After your child's virtual visit, the doctor can write notes necessary to dismiss them from school and/or sports or other activities.
Can pediatricians write prescriptions online?
Overall, pediatricians are here to support your child's health needs, including prescribing medication when necessary. Sometimes, an in-person evaluation is called for, leading to a referral before prescriptions are given. While state rules play a role in this, most online physicians are ready to provide new prescriptions or refill existing ones for your child.
Can you chat with a pediatrician anytime, day or night?
It depends. Different online services will have varying availability. Some may require scheduled appointment times, others may have you talk with a nurse to determine if a visit is appropriate.
Blueberry Pediatrics members can consult with a board-certified pediatrician via text, phone, or video anytime - 24/7/365 - even on holidays!
Are online pediatricians available anywhere in the US?
For a physician to practice medicine, including telemedicine, they must be licensed in the state where the patient is located. Blueberry Pediatrics members have access to board-certified pediatricians in over 29 states! Blueberry pediatricians are licensed to care for children up until their 21st birthday.
Get Unlimited Online Pediatric Care with Blueberry Pediatrics
We at Blueberry Pediatrics understand your child’s health and well-being are of utmost importance - it’s your top priority, and it’s ours, too! Our mission is to provide convenient, accessible, expert pediatric care for all children in their time of need. That’s why we offer unlimited online care for children under 21 years old. We help busy parents skip the scheduling, waiting, driving, and unwanted germ exposure, and offer care when you need it, easily, quickly, and from the comfort of your own home. Receive expert pediatric care anytime, from anywhere - sign up here!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does an online pediatric visit offer the same quality care I could get in a doctor's office?
Yes! You can receive pediatric care online for most concerns in the comfort of your own home. These board-certified pediatricians offer the high-quality care you deserve and expect for your sick kid.
Does my insurance cover online doctor visits?
Many insurance companies do cover telehealth. You may still have to pay your co-pay, but it could be cheaper than an in-person visit.
Blueberry Pediatrics does not accept insurance. Members pay one low monthly or annual fee for unlimited access to licensed board-certified pediatricians - - with no additional copays, deductibles, or per-visit fees.
Can I get a prescription refill online?
Yes! You can get prescriptions for current or new conditions if the pediatrician finds that you need one. They'll send a prescription to your local pharmacy, and you can pick it up at your convenience.
What kind of symptoms can be seen online?
Your child can be seen for many non-emergency conditions including colds, strep throat, ear infection, influenza, vomiting/diarrhea, pink eye, urinary tract infections, sinus infections, rashes, and more
What technology do I need to have for a virtual visit?
Depending on the service you use, you may need to have a computer or smartphone with voice, video, and/or texting capabilities. Your virtual visit may occur over video, which is especially helpful for certain issues with physical symptoms, such as rashes. Other visits may occur via text or phone, and the pediatrician may ask for photos of the condition.
Can I see an online doctor instead of going to urgent care?
If your child isn't experiencing an emergency, skipping urgent care is a great, money-saving option. However, it's important to note that telehealth visits should not be used for emergencies. If your child needs care immediately and it feels life-threatening or scary to you, you should go to the nearest urgent care or emergency room to be seen right away.
