Online or in person? Choosing the right kind of consultation
Video consultation is excellent for some problems and wrong for others. A practical guide to telling the difference — and knowing when to skip both and go to an emergency room.
Telemedicine has made seeing a doctor far easier, but it has not made physical examination obsolete. Choosing correctly saves you a wasted appointment, and occasionally it matters a great deal more than that.
Good reasons to consult online
- Follow-ups. Reviewing test results, adjusting a dose, or checking progress on a treatment that is already underway.
- Common, recognisable complaints. Colds, seasonal fevers, mild digestive upsets, minor skin problems you can show clearly on camera.
- Repeat prescriptions for a stable long-term condition.
- Second opinions. You have a diagnosis and reports in hand and want another specialist to look at them.
- Mental health support, where the conversation is the consultation.
- Advice before you travel for treatment — worth an online consultation to find out whether the trip is necessary at all.
When to book an in-person visit instead
- Anything needing to be listened to, pressed, or looked into — chest and abdominal complaints, ear pain, suspicious lumps.
- Wounds, injuries and anything requiring dressing or stitches.
- A first pregnancy visit, and antenatal checks that include measurements.
- Small children who cannot describe what hurts.
- Any problem that two online consultations have not resolved. If it is not improving, it deserves hands-on assessment.
Many doctors on the platform list both an online fee and a chamber address with an in-person fee, so you can start online and move to a visit with the same doctor — who already has your history.
Neither: go straight to emergency care
Online consultation is not for emergencies. Call 999 or get to a hospital immediately for:
- Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, nausea or pain down an arm
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side, a drooping face, or slurred speech
- Heavy bleeding that will not stop
- A serious fall or accident, or loss of consciousness
- In a child: a fever with a rash, a stiff neck, or unusual drowsiness
No appointment is worth waiting for when these signs are present. Minutes matter more than convenience.
Getting the most from an online appointment
Whatever you choose, a prepared patient gets a better consultation. Have your current medicines with you, know when your symptoms started, and upload any recent test reports to your account beforehand so the doctor can read them during the call.
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