Recently, in June 2020, I had to book an appointment with the doctor, and due to the pandemic and having to stay at home, I wanted to avoid going to the local walk-in clinic.
So I called Telehealth Ontario, which is a free confidential service Ontarians can use to get health advice or information from a registered nurse. I was referred to Cover Health because my condition would probably need a prescription.
Cover Health is covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) and so I promptly checked their website and decided to register and book an appointment with the doctor. These appointments are held virtually over the phone and you can get same day appointments, if you wish, which is great.
HOW DOES COVER HEALTH WORK?
There are two options to book an appointment: (1) you can opt-in to join the same day waiting list (which is the fastest); (2) or select a one hour window for an appointment on the same day or another day.
I used the first option and opted to join the same day waiting list. I called around 8:15 in the morning and got a call back from a doctor at around 11:30 am. However, I never heard the phone ring and then received an email later during the day indicating that I had missed my appointment.
Apparently, my phone (landline) blocks calls from Private numbers and so I didn't even receive the call. However, I was able to promptly get another appointment in a couple of hours. And this time I used my cell phone and everything worked perfectly.
I needed a prescription which was sent to my pharmacy of choice as soon as my doctor's appointment concluded. And I was able to pickup the prescription later that same day.
Here is a brief Cover Health Review video in which I give you a summary of the benefits of using this digital walk-in clinic and why I recommend them based on my own experience using it a couple of times already.
WHAT HEALTH CONDITIONS ARE COVERED?
Through Cover Health, you can book a virtual doctor's appointment for medical conditions like: cold and flu symptoms; eye infections; sore throats; reproductive health; UTIs; prescription renewals and much more.
You should not use Cover Health for emergencies or urgent care. In such cases, you should call 911.
You can use Cover Health to consult with a General Practitioner, Pediatrician, Cardiologist, Dermatologist, Physiotherapist, and Fertility Specialist. There are other health services that will be coming soon.
HOW TO BOOK A VIRTUAL DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT?
Booking a virtual doctor's appointment is quite simple and easy on the Cover Health website. It takes just a few minutes and you will need your OHIP card to register and book the appointment.
In this tutorial video below, I walk you through the booking process step-by-step. In my case, I booked an appointment with a General Practitioner, but the overall process should be quite similar.
Like I mentioned earlier, based on my own experience using Cover Health, I would definitely recommend them. Rather than having to walk into your local walk-in clinic, especially during this pandemic. Hope this Cover Health review helped. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section. Stay home, stay healthy and stay safe!
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