What Can and Can’t Be Prescribed Online? A 2026 Guide to Telehealth Prescriptions
Telehealth providers can prescribe most medications that aren’t controlled substances: antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antihistamines, birth control, blood pressure and cholesterol medication, many antidepressants and topical treatments. Controlled substances are different. Through December 31, 2026, a temporary federal rule lets registered practitioners prescribe them by telemedicine without an in-person visit. That rule is due to expire, […]
Telehealth Travel Health Checklist: Medications to Get Before You Fly
Book a travel health visit four to six weeks before you leave. That gives you time to sort out prescriptions (motion sickness, altitude sickness, a traveler’s diarrhea plan, and refills of your regular medications) and to get any vaccines, which have to be given in person. A telehealth visit can handle the prescriptions. Vaccines and […]
Is Telehealth HIPAA Compliant? How Your Health Data Is Protected
Yes, when your telehealth visit is with a HIPAA-covered healthcare provider. Your visit, records and messages are then protected health information under federal law, with the same protections as an in-person appointment. The catch is that HIPAA protects data based on who holds it, not on whether it’s medical. A symptom-checker app, a fitness tracker, […]
Doxy PEP: Who Qualifies and How to Get It Through Telehealth
Doxy PEP is a single 200mg dose of the antibiotic doxycycline, taken within 72 hours after sex, to reduce the risk of bacterial sexually transmitted infections. The CDC recommends it for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and for transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 […]
Do Telehealth Appointments Call You?
Yes, telehealth appointments can call you, but it depends on how the healthcare provider operates. Some telehealth services begin with a phone call, while others ask you to log into a secure app or website for a scheduled video visit. In many cases, you’ll receive a text message, email, or notification with instructions before your […]
Will Telehealth Prescribe Antibiotics?
Yes, telehealth providers can prescribe antibiotics when they determine that a bacterial infection is likely and antibiotics are medically appropriate. However, not every virtual visit results in a prescription. A healthcare provider must first evaluate your symptoms, medical history, and, in some cases, laboratory results before deciding whether antibiotics are necessary. This is one of […]
How to Do a Telehealth Call?
A telehealth call is simply a medical appointment that takes place over video or phone instead of in a doctor’s office. In most cases, you’ll schedule an appointment, receive a link or app invitation, join the call from your smartphone, tablet, or computer, discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider, and receive treatment recommendations, prescriptions, […]
Is It a Cold or Allergies?
It starts the same way in many cases. A blocked nose, sneezing, throat irritation, and fatigue can appear in both colds and allergies, which makes early identification difficult. The key difference sits in what triggers the symptoms and how the body responds over time. A cold follows an infection cycle. Allergies follow exposure patterns. Colds […]
When to Go to Urgent Care for a Sore Throat?
Most times, a sore throat fades with sleep and fluids. Yet consult urgent care if pain worsens after three days. A high temperature might signal something deeper needing attention. Swelling in the neck can hint at infection spread. Trouble keeping food down also calls for a check. Breathing changes are never normal – if so, […]
When to See a Doctor for a UTI?
You should see a Providers for a UTI when symptoms last longer than a day or two, become painful, include fever or back pain, or begin interfering with normal activities. Mild urinary tract infections can sometimes start with only slight discomfort, but untreated infections may spread to the kidneys and become more serious. Early medical […]
