Key takeaways

Telemedicine allows patients to receive medical care and prescriptions online for conditions like minor skin issues, mental health concerns, and common infections, offering convenience and reducing the need for in-person visits.
Many health insurance plans cover telehealth services, and providers can prescribe medications online, sending prescriptions directly to pharmacies or through mail-order services, although coverage varies by insurer.
Certain medications, particularly controlled substances like Adderall or opioid narcotics, cannot typically be prescribed online due to federal regulations requiring at least one in-person visit.
While telemedicine provides significant benefits in terms of convenience and accessibility, it is not suitable for emergency situations or conditions that require a physical examination or immediate, in-person care.

Virtual doctor appointments — also called telemedicine or telehealth visits — are quickly becoming a popular method for getting a new prescription, obtaining refills, and managing medications. Through live video chat, telephone, email, secure messaging, or a mobile app, you can communicate with a provider and get prescriptions online for minor skin conditions, mental health concerns, and infectious conditions like the common cold or flu. All in the comfort of your home!

Here’s what you need to know about how to get a prescription online with telemedicine.

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine allows you to receive medical care or mental health services from a virtual doctor or other healthcare provider. You can access a doctor or other medical professional via live video chat, live audio chat, telephone call, email, or text conversation.

Some online platforms offer additional telehealth services, such as remote monitoring, to gather vital signs between appointments. Telehealth companies may also provide a secure mobile app to exchange personal health data, medical history notes, diagnostic images, and other information with your provider.

Telemedicine may be useful for certain conditions including:

Common cold
Flu
Allergies
Minor skin conditions
Behavioral and mental health problems
Cold sores
Erectile dysfunction

Telemedicine services may also be useful for you and your provider to:

Review lab test results
Monitor the progress and symptoms of chronic conditions
Discuss new prescriptions and medication refills

Many health insurance companies provide some type of coverage for telehealth services. And in some cases, your only responsibility may be a copay for online doctor visits. However, it’s always a good idea to check the coverage and benefits offered by your insurance plan.

How can providers prescribe and manage medications online?

One of the biggest benefits of telemedicine is medication management. Instead of driving to the doctor’s office, you can discuss your medications with a doctor or other healthcare provider through a virtual visit. In most cases, an online doctor can set you up with a new prescription or medication refill during a virtual appointment.

During a virtual appointment, the online doctor can assess your situation and determine if a prescription is needed. They can also review existing prescriptions and make any necessary changes.

If it’s decided that a prescription is necessary, your provider can send the prescription to your pharmacy to be filled. Many times, your provider can recommend online prescription services or a mail-order pharmacy. In some cases, telehealth platforms operate their own pharmacy, keeping everything in-house. If your regular healthcare provider offers online visits, the office may partner with an online pharmacy.

That said, some medical situations require immediate access to medication. In that case, your healthcare provider will write the prescription during the appointment but send it to a local pharmacy or pharmacy of your choice for in-person pick-up.

Some platforms will allow you to request an online prescription refill. If your provider approves a refill or prescribes you a new prescription, you can choose to receive your medication through a mail-order pharmacy or same-day delivery service for your convenience. Here’s how it works: Your healthcare provider writes you a prescription and then, they can call it in, fax it, or send it through an online portal to the online or mail-order pharmacy.

It’s important to note that each state has its own laws about online prescription medications. Before a virtual doctor visit, some states require at least one in-person visit to establish a patient-provider relationship.

If you have questions about eligibility, always check with your doctor or pharmacist. Finally, when choosing an online pharmacy, make sure to look for the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) seal. They also have an online portal where you can check for accredited digital pharmacies.

What medications are not prescribed online?

Doctors and other authorized medical professionals can prescribe a variety of medications online. That said, some medications cannot be prescribed online. For example, prescriptions for controlled substances like Adderall or Ritalin are not typically available through an online doctor. Opioid narcotics and painkillers are also not typically prescribed through an online visit. That’s because federal law requires providers to conduct at least one in-person visit before prescribing a controlled substance online.

However, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made changes related to prescribing controlled substances via telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency. More specifically, they gave DEA-registered or authorized practitioners the okay to prescribe controlled substances without an in-person medical evaluation.

It’s not known at this time how long this temporary authorization will stay in effect. If you need a new prescription or a refill for a controlled substance, consult with your local pharmacy or healthcare provider before making an appointment with an online doctor.

What are the benefits of using telemedicine?

Convenience and decreased waiting or travel times are just some of the benefits of using telemedicine.

“In-person care can require a patient to sacrifice privacy, time, convenience, and possibly money if they have to take time off of work, pay for parking or transportation,” says Mary Jacobson, MD, the chief medical officer at Alpha Medical. “Plus, patients with intimate issues like mental health symptoms and substance abuse may have shame and stigma associated with their medical conditions and may forego treatment if their only option is an in-person visit.”

Dr. Jacobson also points out that it may take several weeks or months to see a primary care provider or specialist in person, but with telehealth, patients can often schedule a visit immediately or at their convenience.

Telemedicine can help people stay safe and healthy during the flu season and COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of going to a packed doctor’s office to get a prescription, people can get their medications prescribed online and reduce their risk of catching a viral illness from another patient. “Telemedicine also helps to expedite the process of prescribing and filling medications when oftentimes there are additional steps when turning to a traditional in-person visit,” Dr. Jacobson says.

When is telemedicine not appropriate?

Telemedicine offers people a convenient way to seek care for conditions like the flu, minor skin issues, and mental health problems. Telemedicine also makes it easy to get medication checks and prescription refills. However, there are times when seeing an online doctor is not always the best choice.

Emergency situations, such as a laceration, fractured bone, serious concussion, acute sprain or strain, or severe illness, should be treated at an urgent care clinic, hospital emergency room, or a primary care provider’s office. Also, critical situations, like a sudden increase in blood pressure, heart attack, chest pain, stroke, fainting, seizures, and serious mental health issues, require an in-person evaluation.

Suneet Singh, MD, the medical director for CareHive, points out that some parts of the physical examination still require a hands-on examination, such as listening to a patient’s heart or lungs. Other times, he says, a sensitive area of the patient must be examined, and this, too, is best performed in a doctor’s office or clinic setting. And finally, Dr. Singh says difficult conversations are often best in person when the strength of the patient-provider relationship is needed most.

Tips for using trustworthy online pharmacies

Online pharmacies must have appropriate safeguards in place that protect your personal and financial information. Ask your provider or health insurance company for information about finding a reputable and trustworthy online pharmacy.

The FDA says to look for websites with practices that protect you. Here are some things to consider when looking for a safe website and online pharmacy.

The online pharmacy should require a valid prescription from a doctor or another licensed healthcare professional.
The online pharmacy should be located in the United States and licensed by the state board of pharmacy where it is operating.
The online pharmacy should have a U.S. state-licensed pharmacist available to answer any questions you may have.