How DrHouse telemedicine works

DrHouse telemedicine is a secure video visit with a licensed U.S. doctor in our app, available 24/7 in all 50 states. Your doctor can diagnose common problems, recommend treatment and prescribe medication when medically appropriate. Every DrHouse visit is by video, so your doctor can see a rash, your throat or a medication label on camera.

You can see the next available doctor, often within minutes, or book a time that suits you. You need to be physically in the U.S. during the visit, but you can join from home, work, a hotel room or anywhere else with a signal.

What DrHouse telemedicine doctors treat

Our telemedicine services cover a wide range of everyday care, and your doctor decides what’s right at each visit. Common reasons include infections such as UTIs and sinus, ear, eye, skin and respiratory infections, where your doctor can prescribe antibiotics when medically appropriate. Colds, coughs, sore throats and flu are common too, and for flu your doctor can prescribe an antiviral such as Tamiflu or Xofluza when appropriate.

DrHouse doctors also treat allergies and asthma symptoms, rashes, acne, eczema and fungal infections, and stomach trouble like nausea, diarrhea and acid reflux. They see headaches and migraines, STI symptoms, erectile dysfunction and birth control questions, and they can help you quit smoking or treat hair loss.

If you live with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma or a thyroid condition, our doctors handle follow-ups and medication adjustments. If something needs to be seen in person, your doctor will tell you where to go.

Prescriptions and refills

Your DrHouse doctor can prescribe a new medication or refill one you already take when it’s medically appropriate. Refills of previously prescribed medications can often be written for up to 90 days. Some medications need periodic lab work before another refill, and your doctor may ask to see the label on your current bottle. Prescriptions are issued at the doctor’s discretion and are never guaranteed.

Can you get a prescription online without seeing a doctor?

Not at DrHouse. Every prescription comes from a licensed U.S. doctor after a video visit, where they review your symptoms, health history and current medications. That includes refills: you’ll have a short visit so the doctor can confirm the medication is still right for you.

Medications DrHouse doctors don’t prescribe

DrHouse doctors don’t prescribe controlled substances, such as opioid pain medications, ADHD stimulants and benzodiazepines. They also don’t prescribe certain other medications by telemedicine, including gabapentin, medical marijuana, some muscle relaxants and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Medication availability can also vary with state rules and clinical guidelines.

Does DrHouse offer mental health care?

DrHouse visits are medical visits. We don’t offer therapy or ongoing psychiatric care, and our doctors don’t prescribe controlled substances, which rules out many ADHD, anxiety and sleep medications. For mental health care, start with your primary care doctor or a licensed mental health professional. If you’re having thoughts of suicide or are in a crisis, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time.

Doctor’s notes and lab referrals

If you’re too sick for work or school, your doctor can write a signed doctor’s note when medically appropriate, usually emailed within about an hour. Whether it’s accepted is up to your employer or school. If you need testing, your doctor can refer you to one of Labcorp’s locations nationwide, and the results go straight to your doctor for a follow-up. DrHouse doctors don’t fill out disability, FMLA or insurance forms.

What you need for a DrHouse visit

You’ll need the DrHouse app on an iPhone (iOS 16 or later) or an Android phone (Android 13 or later), because visits don’t run in a web browser or on tablets. Make sure your camera and microphone work, your phone is charged and your connection is steady.

Before the visit, have your insurance card if you’re using insurance, a list of your medications, allergies and health conditions, and your preferred pharmacy. Keep a photo ID nearby in case we need to confirm who you are, and find a quiet, private spot. For anyone under 18, a parent or legal guardian needs to be on the visit.

How to book a telemedicine appointment with DrHouse

Download the DrHouse app from the App Store or Google Play, or start at drhouse.com/get-started and we’ll text you a download link. Create your account, enter the reason for your visit, and add your insurance or choose self-pay. Then choose a doctor by availability, specialty, ratings or language, or take the next available.

Add your health history, medications and allergies, and upload any photos or results you’d like the doctor to see. When your doctor is ready, you join the secure video visit in the app.

What happens during the visit?

Your doctor joins by secure video, asks about your symptoms, health history and medications, and may ask you to show them a rash, your throat or a medication label on camera. You’ll finish with a diagnosis and a treatment plan. That plan may include a prescription when medically appropriate, self-care advice, a lab referral or a recommendation to be seen in person.

After your visit: pickup or same-day delivery

Prescriptions usually reach your pharmacy within 15 to 45 minutes after the visit, and you can use almost any retail or mail-order pharmacy. If you need to switch, the pharmacy can usually transfer the prescription, or your doctor can update it when appropriate. In select areas, you can choose same-day delivery through partner pharmacies instead, sometimes in as little as an hour, and the courier checks your photo ID at the door.* Your visit notes and prescriptions stay in the app.

Choose your doctor, and see them again

You pick your doctor. Profiles show specialty, ratings, languages and availability, so you can choose someone who speaks your language or simply take the next available. If you liked your doctor, you can book follow-ups with them when they’re available, so you aren’t starting from scratch each time.

Telemedicine for the whole family

One account can hold profiles for as many family members as you need, and each person gets their own medical record. Each visit is for one patient. For anyone under 18, a parent or legal guardian must be present during the video visit.

Who you’ll see

Every visit is with a physician: DrHouse doctors are board-certified, licensed U.S. MDs and DOs with an average of 20 years of experience. Care is overseen by our medical director, Dr. Mike Hoaglin, MD.

Privacy and security

DrHouse is HIPAA-compliant, and visits run over an encrypted connection. We also hold LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification, which verifies that telemedicine services that prescribe medication online meet healthcare and regulatory standards.

Insurance and what a visit costs

DrHouse accepts many major plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Medicare, Humana and Elevance Health (formerly Anthem) plans. With insurance, a DrHouse telemedicine visit is a typical $0 to $30 copay, depending on your plan’s copay, deductible and coinsurance.

You don’t need insurance to use DrHouse: a self-pay visit is $129, and it includes a doctor’s note or lab referral if you need one. You can pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and HSA or FSA cards work where your plan allows.

Need care for something sudden?

For a sudden fever, UTI or rash, our virtual urgent care page explains what a video visit can handle and when to go in person instead.

What is a telemedicine appointment?

A telemedicine appointment is a visit with a doctor or other clinician by video or phone instead of in an office. You describe your symptoms, the clinician asks questions and reviews your history, and you leave with a diagnosis and a plan. With DrHouse, it’s a secure video visit in our app with a licensed U.S. doctor, available 24/7, who can prescribe medication when medically appropriate.

Is telemedicine a phone call?

Sometimes. HHS counts phone calls, video visits, secure messaging and devices that share readings like blood pressure as telehealth. DrHouse visits are always by video, in our app, so your doctor can see what’s going on, whether that’s a rash, a sore throat or the label on a medication you take. You’ll need a phone with a working camera, microphone and internet connection.

Are telemedicine appointments available 24/7?

With DrHouse, yes. Our doctors are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including nights, weekends and holidays, in all 50 states. You can see the next available doctor by video, often within minutes. If now isn’t a good time, you can book a later appointment and choose the doctor you’d like to see.

Is telemedicine covered by insurance?

Often, yes. DrHouse accepts many major plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Medicare, Humana and Elevance Health (formerly Anthem) plans, and the typical copay is $0 to $30. Your exact cost depends on your copay, deductible and coinsurance. Without insurance, a visit is $129, and you can pay with an HSA or FSA card where your plan allows.

Is telemedicine still allowed?

Yes. DrHouse doctors treat patients by telemedicine in all 50 states. For Medicare patients, HHS reports that many telehealth flexibilities, including medical visits from home, have been extended through December 31, 2027, and that behavioral and mental health telehealth from home is now permanent. If you have private insurance, check your plan’s telehealth benefits, and remember DrHouse accepts many major plans.

Can I get a prescription online without seeing a doctor?

Not with DrHouse. Every prescription, including a refill, comes from a licensed U.S. doctor after a video visit, where they review your symptoms, health history and current medications. If it’s medically appropriate, your doctor prescribes it, and you choose pickup at a pharmacy near you or same-day delivery in select areas.* Prescriptions are issued at the doctor’s discretion and are never guaranteed.

What can’t a telemedicine doctor prescribe?

DrHouse doctors don’t prescribe controlled substances, such as opioid pain medications, ADHD stimulants and benzodiazepines. They also don’t prescribe certain other medications by telemedicine, including gabapentin, medical marijuana, some muscle relaxants and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). What’s available can also depend on state rules and clinical guidelines, and your doctor decides what’s appropriate for you at each visit.

Can a telemedicine doctor diagnose me?

For many common problems, yes. Your doctor uses your symptoms, your history and what they can see on video to make a diagnosis, much as they would in an office. Some problems need a lab test, imaging or a hands-on exam first. In that case, your doctor can refer you to a Labcorp location for lab work or tell you where to be seen in person.

What’s the difference between telehealth and telemedicine?

In everyday use, there isn’t one: HHS describes telehealth as “sometimes called telemedicine.” When a distinction is made, telehealth is the broader term, covering things like patient education and remote monitoring, while telemedicine means a clinician diagnosing and treating you remotely. A DrHouse visit is telemedicine in that stricter sense, with a doctor, a diagnosis and a treatment plan at the end of it.

What is an example of telemedicine?

Say you wake up with burning when you urinate. You open the DrHouse app, see a doctor by video within minutes, and they ask about your symptoms and history. If they diagnose a urinary tract infection and an antibiotic is appropriate, they prescribe it, and you pick it up at a pharmacy near you. Refills, rash checks, flu treatment and blood pressure follow-ups work the same way.

Do I need an app for a telemedicine visit?

For DrHouse, yes. Visits happen in our app for iPhone (iOS 16 or later) and Android (Android 13 or later), and they don’t work in a web browser or on tablets. You’ll need a working camera and microphone and a steady internet connection. If you start on our website, we’ll text you a link to download the app, and you can join your visit from there.

Can I use telemedicine for my child?

Yes, with a parent or legal guardian present during the video visit for any patient under 18. You can add family members to your account, and each person gets their own profile and medical record. Each visit is for one patient, so start a separate visit for each child. Your doctor will tell you if your child needs to be seen in person instead.

Can I use telemedicine while traveling?

Yes, as long as you’re in the U.S. DrHouse works in all 50 states, so you can see a doctor from a hotel, an airport or a relative’s house and choose a pharmacy near where you’re staying. You do need to be physically in the U.S. during the visit, so DrHouse can’t treat you while you’re abroad, even if you live in the U.S.

Is telemedicine private and secure?

With DrHouse, yes. The platform is HIPAA-compliant, visits run over an encrypted connection, and your health information is protected under U.S. privacy law. DrHouse also holds LegitScript certification for telemedicine services that prescribe online. On your side, take the visit somewhere private. Afterward, you can view your visit notes and prescriptions in the app any time.

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Telehealth.HHS.gov. “Why use telehealth?” https://telehealth.hhs.gov/patients/why-use-telehealth.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Telehealth.HHS.gov. “What can be treated through telehealth?” https://telehealth.hhs.gov/patients/what-can-be-treated-through-telehealth.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Telehealth.HHS.gov. “Telehealth policy updates.” https://telehealth.hhs.gov/providers/telehealth-policy/telehealth-policy-updates.
• Institute of Medicine, NCBI Bookshelf. “Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications in Health Care. Introduction and Background.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45440/.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. “Declines in Telemedicine Use Among Adults: United States, 2021 and 2022.” https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/154767/cdc_154767_DS1.pdf.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. “Telemedicine Use Among Office-based Physicians in 2021 and 2024.” https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/hestat120.pdf.
• National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus. “When to use the emergency room – adult.” https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000593.htm.
• UnitedHealth Group. “18 Million Avoidable Hospital Emergency Department Visits Add $32 Billion in Costs to the Health Care System Each Year.” https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/content/dam/UHG/PDF/2019/UHG-Avoidable-ED-Visits.pdf.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline fact sheet.” https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/988-factsheet.pdf.