Life
/ November 2017

The App Every Mom Must Have on Her Phone – #AnywhereCare

This is a sponsored post in partnership with The Motherhood on behalf of UPMC.

Listen up people, because I am about to let you in on a game changer! I was mind blown when I discovered this, especially since the flu has been so rampant this season.

First though, I have a question: Have you ever tried to book a doctor’s appointment, waited on hold for an hour, only to discover the soonest appointment is a month out?

You arrive at your appointment 15 minutes early and still end up waiting a good hour before you see the doctor? For more serious illnesses I’m always able to get help fast, but for smaller things, it can be a hassle to plan a quick visit.

I am not in any way criticizing doctors (I am kind of biased towards loving them ❤️ since I am married to one). But as a busy mama I must spend my time wisely and all the waiting around can really disrupt my day.

That is why I am SO excited to share details about UPMC Anywhere Care app, where you can have a face to face visit with a physician on your phone, from the comfort of your own home, at any time. With Anywhere Care you can have a virtual doctor visit in a matter of minutes.

The flu can spread quickly. But downloading this app is quicker. With UPMC AnywhereCare, you can see a medical professional on any device. You’ll also have a chance to win a free digital thermometer when you sign up here by March 5th. With it being such a widespread flu year, easy access to a health care provider is imperative, and UPMC AnywhereCare gives you that.

UPMC Anywhere Care is available to everyone four years and older, for non-emergent doctor visits. The app works quite simply. You download it on your phone here, sign up for an account, and start a visit. That’s it! In five minutes you can be ready for your virtual doctor visit! There is always a doctor online, ready for a virtual visit, 24/7. When you are ready to see a doctor, click on the name of one who is online. Then click ‘select provider’. The app will then ask you everything it needs to know during your first visit. It saves that information so it is even quicker next time you see a doctor on the app.

Once your doctor ‘comes into the room’ it will look similar to if you were on a FaceTime call with someone. You can send pictures to the doctor while you are chatting or flip the camera around if you need to. You can even add other people to the conversation. For example, if you are a college student away at college and you want your parents to hear what the doctor has to say, you can add your parents and create a three-way video.

When you are done with your appointment, your doctor can send a prescription, if needed, to any pharmacy near you. This feature really comes in handy when you are using the app while you are traveling.

The UPMC Anywhere Care App also lets you add your insurance provider. If you are part of the UPMC insurance network this will make it so your cost is very similar to your regular copay. Regularly, it costs $49 for a visit, this cost is waived if the doctor is unable to help you and must refer you to someone else. Issues that can be addressed via the UPMC Anywhere Care app include things like a cough, allergies, a UTI, bronchitis and more.

Pennsylvania residents will be connected with a UPMC doctor, and those outside of the state will be connect with doctors staffed from American Well (Online Care Group).

For me, an app like this will be a lifesaver. As a busy mom, I rarely have time to run to the doctor for myself. I do often have medical questions about myself or my kids though. Anywhere Care makes it so easy to turn on my phone and be talking to a doctor in a matter of minutes!

This app will definitely save us unnecessary trips to the doctor, while giving me peace of mind for both me and my children! Learn more by visiting UPMC’s HealthBeat blog. Also be sure to enter for the chance to win a free digital thermometer here by March 5th.