I knew what was coming. Spring had sprung here in Jacksonville, and what started as a subtle tickle in the nose soon escalated to a full on allergy attack. Peaking right when my husband was flying to New Orleans for a work trip. For a week.
Lovely. I hope you enjoy your beignets, dear husband. I’ll just be here with a box of Kleenex, praying the children stop needing things like ‘play time’ and ‘meals’.
Perhaps it was the lack of sleep or my already watering, allergy ridden eyes, but I found myself lamenting “I will just have to feel this way FOREVER. Stuffy is my new normal!” Throw any wrench into the works, like operating without my co-pilot while still maintaining the household duties, and a visit to my primary care doctor seemed like a far-fetched dream.
There is never a good time for a Mom to get sick. Mainly because there is never a good time for a Mom to squeeze in a visit to her doctor. What Mom out there wouldn’t give up their dental plan for a house call from a local Md.?! But you know what’s even better than a house call? Amwell telehealth services.
Heck, you don’t even have to change out of your PJ pants for this, mamas. It could not be more convenient and user-friendly.
So what is Amwell, exactly?
It was the answer to my prayers last week when I thought my allergies had bested me. It’s for the mama who has three kids, one who has ANOTHER ear infection, one who has to finish his science project and one who still sleeps all day long, usually in a wrap, close to their worn out mama. It’s for the mama who thinks “I KNOW what’s wrong with my child, I just need an antibiotic prescription so I can get on with my to-do list! I don’t have time to lug the whole family into that germ-filled office today!” It’s for anyone who needs to see a doctor, but also needs the convenience of doing so when they say and where they say.
And how does Amwell work, exactly?
First, I downloaded this handy dandy app onto my phone. Next, I registered with some basic information and then up popped a list of available doctors. There were about six online and ready to see patients. After scrolling through and reading their bios and credentials, I picked my gal. After a very brief wait, the doctor I selected was greeting me with a warm hello, straight out of my phone screen. She was very friendly, yet straight to the point. Not a minute had passed and I had already explained my symptoms. She asked me as few questions, asked me to feel my glands and let her know if they were swollen, simple things like that. After five minutes my new best friend was explaining what allergy prescription she was recommending and encouraging me to use a neti pot to ease my sinus congestion!
This has to cost a fortune, right? Wrong!
At $49 a visit, an online doctor consult costs less than a trip to urgent care (which can run you $70-$85) or the ER (which is usually at least $150). BONUS: Some insurance companies and employers cover telehealth visits. Of course, contact your Human Resources department or health insurance company to see if your visit is covered.
It sounds too good to be true, right? Is it legit? Absolutely.
Amwell, the first telehealth service to be awarded accreditation by The American Telemedicine Association, was founded by two entrepreneurs (who are brothers! And doctors!) in 2006. One of the leading telehealth services in the US, Amwell works with the nation’s largest health insurance companies, the most prestigious hospital systems and many of the largest self-insured employers in the US. All of their doctors have a 4.5 – 5-star rating and 10+ years of experience.
And Amwell is holding their own with the big tech dogs that are defining our times. They are the first telehealth app to be integrated with Apple’s Health App (you know, the app with the heart on your new iPhone) and have been featured by Apple in their ‘Apps for Health’ since September 2014. In fact, in Apple’s 1Q2015 earnings call, Amwell was the only app mentioned by name by Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook (out of over 1.2M apps in the iTunes Store!). Needless to say, Amwell was crowned the most popular consumer telehealth app in 2014 worldwide, by App Annie, with over 1.3M downloads of their app across iOS and Android devices.
So when sickness strikes, as it inevitably does, keep your PJ pants on. Try Amwell! The first visit is free for all Jacksonville Moms Blog readers with the code CITYMOMS.
And if you do end up needing to make an office appointment, you can look for a provider in your city with the handy Amwell find a doctor page!
- Find a family doctor in Jacksonville today.
- Find a pediatrician in Jacksonville today.
- Find a dietitian in Jacksonville today.
- Find a counselor in Jacksonville today.
Thank you Amwell for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own! JMB would not promote or work with a business we did not believe to be reputable or relevant to our readers.
