Our frequently asked questions are here to guide you in your time of need and provide general information on how the process works. If you don’t see your question, feel free to write us at: info@yodelhealth.com
What exactly is Urgent Care and how’s it different from Emergency Care?
Urgent care is care that is in need of treatment and assessment within 12-24 hours to prevent serious outcomes or lost work. This is different than Emergency Care, which covers problems that are immediately life threatening, such as heart attack or stroke symptoms, or a major accident. Of note: Urgent Care visits are typically less expensive than Emergency Department visits for the same care need.
What typically falls under “urgent care” needs?
We treat most urgent care complaints: i.e. cuts that need stitches, strep throat, influenza, cough and cold symptoms, asthma exacerbations, sprains and strains and minor fractures, vomiting and diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and rashes and many other minor medical problems—basically anything that can be treated in a regular urgent care center. The difference we’re completely mobile: we come to you, in your home, hotel room or office. Anywhere you need us.
I’m in! Tell me this, does Yodel accept insurance?
Unfortunately, we do not accept insurance. Credit cards are our preferred payment method. However, paperwork will be provided to file with your insurance company for partial reimbursement, which should be comparable to an urgent care visit (with the exception of the physician visit fee and potentially higher charges for more complex care like laceration repair or IV fluids). Our basic charges are listed on our website.
If I have insurance, why would I pay out of pocket for this?
Glad you asked. There are a couple good reasons. (1) We focus on a smaller number of patients than typical physicians, so we can pay undivided attention to you and your urgent care needs (more than the typical 10-15 minutes you’d be lucky to get elsewhere.) (2) We come to you. That means you get to stay home, at work, wherever you feel comfortable, and won’t be exposed to other illness or the hassle of traveling (and hanging out in a waiting room) while you’re not feeling your best. (3) We’re totally mobile—including our pharmacy. No need to go out to get your meds when we’re finished. Ultimately our prices are not so different than urgent care centers, but the added cost for a physician to come to you can be expensive for some patients. Ask yourself what it’s worth for total convenience and a VIP service of a professional physician coming to you.
How much will a typical visit cost me?
Typical urgent care center visits will cost you your insurance co-pay—usually between $50-$150 depending on your provider, the urgent care center and any additional charges associated with your visit. An example: Strep throat evaluation and treatment at a center might cost around $150 plus your co-pay. Visit an Emergency Department for the same thing, and it might cost around $450 plus your Emergency Department visit copay. Our costs begin at $249 for a doctor to come to your home and evaluate and treat you plus basic additional fees for lab testing and treatment. It’s much simpler, and much less of a range. The bottom line: our basic charges are listed on our website, and overall, our charges are similar to an urgent care center, and most should be reimbursed by your insurance company.
What is the usual wait time to see a doctor?
We know your time is important. Our time to visit is dependent on the availability of our doctors, but we’ll say this: we strive to respond to your needs within 60 minutes of your doctor page, and we offer updates. You can track your doctor live online when he or she is in route to your location for a real-time estimation of arrival time. Remember: you’ll spend that hour in the comfort of your own home, rather than in a waiting room or traveling to a care center.
Do you conduct follow-up appointments?
Sure! We will follow up with you as needed if there is a need for a recheck or re-evaluation. We also have contacts for specialty and primary care follow-up as well.
Do you have hours of operation? (i.e. can I call you at 3 a.m.?)
On-call means anytime. We’re happy to see you at any hour of day or night. We also have regular after-hours care ranging from 5:00 pm to 1:00 am. Between 1:00 am and 7:00 am is considered irregular after hours care and will result in an extra charge.
I heard that you come right to my doorstep! Is that really true?
Yep! We will see patients anywhere that you need us, as long as it is within our service area. Use our app to see if you are out of our range.
Who are your providers?
Our providers are full-on physicians who have undergone our stringent selection process. All of our physicians are board-certified in Emergency Medicine or Family Medicine, and have extensive urgent care experience. The bottom line: we will not send you a physician assistant, a medical student, a resident doctor, a nurse practitioner or other mid-level provider: you are paying for a doctor to come to you, and a doctor is what we deliver.
Are you HIPPA compliant?
Understanding Health Information Privacy
The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for individually identifiable health information held by covered entities and their business associates and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of health information needed for patient care and other important purposes.
The Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for covered entities and their business associates to use to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information.
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/index.html
