Where can I find a US doctor prescribing medication via telephone consultation?

November 4, 2006 3:38 PM

Legitimate online medical clinics that use US doctors to prescribe medication via telephone consultation? Which have you used and can recommend?

I am out of the country and need refills on two medications but my US health insurance plan will only fill prescriptions written by US licensed doctors.

Google turned up several such online medical consultation clinics, however, I could not verify their reputability.

posted by concourse to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

Can you not call your doctor that prescribed them to begin with?
posted by gramcracker at 3:57 PM on November 4, 2006

Response by poster: Unfortunately, no. They must see the patient in person.
posted by concourse at 4:05 PM on November 4, 2006

... As almost all doctors are going to. That whole malpractice thing.

May just have to pay out of pocket.
posted by gramcracker at 6:01 PM on November 4, 2006

Are you sure your doctor has to see you to write the refill? People needing refills while traveling is very common. I'd be surprised if your doctor were completely unwilling to help in this situation. Ask if s/he would write the scrip for a short-term supply, just 'til you get back home.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 6:10 PM on November 4, 2006

What does out of the country mean ? I find it difficult to understand why your own physician would not order refills unless the medications were controlled substances or high risk. In which case a phone consultation would be questionable.
posted by rmhsinc at 6:12 PM on November 4, 2006

Response by poster: Are you sure your doctor has to see you to write the refill? People needing refills while traveling is very common. I'd be surprised if your doctor were completely unwilling to help in this situation. Ask if s/he would write the scrip for a short-term supply, just 'til you get back home.

I'm in Canada. I was seeing my psychiatrist in the US -- who originally prescribed my medications -- in person every three months. I told her I would be leaving to Canada for an indefinite period of time and wasn't sure when I could see her again. She told me that she would still need to see me in person to write out future prescriptions, even for a short-term supply.
posted by concourse at 6:24 PM on November 4, 2006

We have a policy at the MH Center where I work that we will not do phone in refills--however, the physicians can waive that in cases of emergency or unusual circumstances. Some psych medications are controlled, many have significant side effects, some require mandatory lab work, some can be abused or used for recreational purposes and all must be considered in relation to the possibility of intentional or accidental overdose. If you were receiving the garden variety SSRIs or multiple reuptake inhibitors I do not see why they could not be refilled (unless there was a history of adverse reactions). The mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are entirely another issue. The benzodiazepines are controlled by law . Hope you find a solution.
posted by rmhsinc at 6:49 PM on November 4, 2006

Response by poster: If you were receiving the garden variety SSRIs or multiple reuptake inhibitors I do not see why they could not be refilled (unless there was a history of adverse reactions).

This is the class of medications I'm taking; never had an adverse reaction to them.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone
posted by concourse at 12:44 PM on November 5, 2006