Online vs. Office: Michigan residents get prescriptions via online medical service

We are in the middle of cold and flu season and while many will pick up the phone to schedule a doctor's appointment, people in Michigan now have the option of just going online. A Minnesota-based company is now offering a 24/7 online medical service to people in Michigan.

Sharon Garner is in and out of the doctor's office all the time.

"10 months into remission," says Garner who survived 3rd stage colon cancer, "but I still have to see an oncologist quite regularly."

So, the last thing Garner wants to do is sit in the waiting room for hours when all she has is a cold.

"And then you are taking your chances on getting sicker than what you really would be anyway," she says.

Garner likes the idea of clicking on a website to get a diagnosis and prescription. And now, she can. People living in Michigan now have access to Virtuwell.com. It is a 24/7 online clinic that treats common conditions like bladder infections and sinus infections.

"We ask the same questions that you would expect from a doctor's office, but we do it online," says Kevin Palattao, the Vice President of Patient Care Systems and http://www.Virtuwell.com.

The website asks a series of questions about symptoms, medical history, allergies, medications, a nurse practitioner reviews the application and within 30 minutes will write a prescription plan which can be sent to the pharmacy of your choice. The site handles up to 40 illnesses and conditions.

Some doctors are skeptical. Dr. Keith Twiddy works at the Southwestern Medical Clinic in Niles. He admits you don't have to be seen for everything but says there is no substitute for a doctor visit.

"There is so much you can't tell without putting your hands on somebody and actually examining them. Even if they tell you a good history over the phone, there are many things I don't catch until I'm laying hands on them," says Twiddy.

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Online vs. Office: Michigan residents get prescriptions via online medical service