Online Doctor Consultation In Bangalore – Best Hospitals And Apps For Online Doctor Appointment

A: Online doctor consultation aka telemedicine or teleconsultation involves virtual consultation through phone calls, chats, video calls, etc. It allows you to talk to a doctor or specialist, seek medical advice, and get prescriptions online, without having to step out of the house. Needless to say, teleconsultation with a doctor doesn’t entail physical examinations or tests, so it is not and cannot be considered as a replacement for physical consultations.

A: The process of booking an online doctor consultation might vary slightly from hospital to hospital or from app to app. Typically, it involves the following steps:
Step-1: Visit the website of the hospital and click on the online consultation option. If you are doing it through an app, download the app.
Step-2: Register (on the site or app) using your name, phone number, and other details.
Step-3: Choose the specialty (pediatrics, orthopedics, cardiology, dermatology, etc.)
Step-4: Choose a doctor (some online doctor consultation apps will ask you to type your symptoms and will assign a doctor based on that)
Step-5: Choose a consultation slot
Step-6: Pay the consultation fee online and confirm the appointment
Once the appointment is confirmed, you can talk to the doctor online through audio or video calls or chat. Depending on the nature of your medical condition, the doctor might also ask you to share photos of the same. For instance, a dermatologist might want to see pictures to better assess and diagnose your skin conditions and prescribe medicines accordingly.

A: It depends on the app you choose. Some platforms like Practo and Doctor Insta will allow you to post your health questions online for free. Qualified doctors from their panel will answer your queries. You typically have the option to follow up with these doctors or get on a video call with them after paying consultation charges. To get a better picture, it is best that you check the free online doctor consultation policies of the app/platform you are using.

A: Following an online consultation session, doctors will share the prescription for medication, if any, based on the diagnosis. You can use this prescription to buy medicines from a medical store. If the doctor feels that further tests are required for the proper diagnosis of your condition, she/he may recommend tests rather than prescribing medicines.

A: It can be anywhere between INR 199 to INR 1000 or more. Many factors determine online doctor consultation fees such as the specialty, qualification and experience of doctors, and the platform/hospital you choose, to name a few. For instance, the consultation charges for an orthopedic surgeon or a cardiologist will be considerably higher than that of a general physician.