How do I schedule and start a Primary Care appointment?

Members can connect with HealthTap doctors from any computer, tablet, or smartphone with a reliable internet connection. 

To start a virtual visit with a HealthTap doctor, please follow these steps:

1. Log in to your HealthTap account

2. On the "Home" screen select “Primary Care Appointment” or select your "Specific Need (i.e. Women's Health)"based on what kind of care needed. Our primary care doctors can help you with a broad range of health issues, medications and lab orders by video appointment.

3. Choose who the visit is for by selecting your name. If you have any sub accounts, they will be listed here for you to select. You’ll also be prompted to verify your location. If the location listed does not match your current location, you can select "(change)". Once you begin typing, a list of search results will appear. Choose your desired location by clicking on it.

4. Choose your doctor by selecting "Book visit now". To get more information about the doctor before booking an appointment, select the doctor's name and you will have access to their profile.

5. Select which time and date works best for you.

6. Enter or update your payment details then select "Confirm payment".

7. You will then be prompted to enter your reason for visit.

8. Next you will verify information about yourself. You must enter all of the information to proceed. To add or change the information in any section, select "Edit" in the bottom right corner of that box. Once you add/change the information in a section, select "Save" to save the information to your profile.

You will also need to choose a preferred pharmacy for any potential prescriptions that are prescribed through HealthTap. You can search your pharmacy by name, city, or postal code. If you do not initially see your preferred pharmacy, you can scroll down within the search results. Once you have selected your preferred pharmacy, select "Save" to save this information to your profile.

9. Add your current conditions, food and medication allergies, current medications, vitamins, and supplements by selecting the "+ Add" link. If these do not apply select the checkbox starting associated with each section. Once complete, select "Next" at the bottom of the page.

Note: On the next screen, you will see the payment details of the visit.

10. You may join the video visit 10 minutes prior to the appointment. There is also the option to input additional health information by selecting "Complete your health profile."

11. You will receive an appointment reminder before the time of your visit. When it is time for your appointment you can access your upcoming visit by selecting the "Appointment reminder" tile.

12. Once you are ready to join your appointment, select "Join video visit".

Please note that for any given visit on HealthTap:

• You may contact the HealthTap Support team if your visit is interrupted due to a technical failure OR if the doctor is unable to provide the appropriate care to you
• HealthTap members who are U.S. residents traveling abroad can access virtual visits, but the doctors cannot prescribe medicine
• HealthTap doctors decide what medication is medically necessary for you. Per our Terms of Use, "You agree that you do not have a right to expect, demand, or to receive any particular prescription or lab test when using HealthTap virtual doctor visits. Prescriptions and lab tests, where available, are provided at the sole discretion of the consulting Medical Expert."
• Just like with in-person doctors, getting a prescription depends on many things. For example, your doctor might refill your antidepressant prescription in an Urgent Care visit, but they’re unlikely to start you on a new drug. For managing ongoing conditions, it’s best to start seeing a Primary Care doctor on HealthTap who can get to know you and your medical history

There are some medications that telemedicine providers, including HealthTap doctors, rarely if ever prescribe or refill. These medications are nearly always prescribed in-person. Below is a sample list using brand and generic names based on what’s best known to consumers

Opioids and other controlled substances like:

• Adderall
• Ativan
• Norco
• Oxycodone
• Valium
• Xanax 

Psychiatric drugs like:

• Abilify 
• Gabapentin
• Lithium

Lifestyle drugs like:

• Chantix 
• Contrave 
• Qsymia

Please note that this list provides examples only. There are other such drugs.