What Can an Online Doctor Treat? Common Video Visit Conditions

Telehealth.HHS.gov says telehealth can be used to treat a wide range of health conditions. It works best when a clinician can learn most of what they need from your story, your history, and what they can see on camera. The clinician decides whether your concern can be handled by video, and whether you need a test, an exam, or emergency care instead.

These are non-emergency concerns that DOC MD's booking and intake tools list. None of them is a promise of a diagnosis or a prescription.

• Colds and coughs. Most are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not treat. See cold, sore throat, or sinus infection.
• Sore throat. The CDC says most sore throats are viral. Strep throat needs a test to confirm.
• Sinus congestion and facial pressure. Most sinus infections get better on their own.
• Urinary discomfort, such as burning or frequent urination. See UTI symptoms and video visits.
• Skin rashes that are not spreading fast and do not come with trouble breathing.
• Heartburn after meals. Chest pressure that could be cardiac is an emergency.
• Seasonal allergies, such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and a clear runny nose.
• Pink eye, when your vision is not getting worse and the eye is not severely painful.
• Typical headaches, such as tension headaches.
• Athlete's foot or ringworm, which cause itchy, scaly skin.

A video visit does not include a hands-on physical exam. It cannot take X-rays, draw blood, or collect a sample, and it cannot perform procedures. Some conditions cannot be fully assessed by video, and a clinician may tell you to seek in-person care. That is part of safe telehealth, not a failure of it.

Prescribing is also the clinician's call. A clinician may prescribe a medicine when it is appropriate, or may decide you do not need one. DOC MD does not offer controlled substances through its questionnaire visits.

Some symptoms should not wait for a video visit. Common warning signs include:

• Pink eye with eye pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, or intense redness
• A sudden, severe headache, or one with weakness, confusion, or trouble speaking
• Chest pain or pressure, especially with shortness of breath or sweating
• A rash with lip or face swelling or trouble breathing
• A sinus infection with severe pain, swelling around the eyes, or vision change

Write down when your symptoms started and what you have already tried. Have your medication list and allergies ready, along with your pharmacy's name and address. Sit somewhere private with a good connection, and keep a thermometer nearby if you have one. If you take photos of a rash or other skin problem in good light, they can help the clinician see what you see.

A standard primary care video visit is $89 per visit, shown before you book. See the full cost breakdown or how a DOC MD visit works.