Frequently Asked Questions

With MDLIVE, you can access a board-certified doctor by secure online video, phone, or the MDLIVE app – anytime, anywhere, 24/7/365. MDLIVE is a low-cost, convenient alternative to Urgent Care Clinic visits or waiting days to get an appointment with your primary care doctor for non-emergency medical conditions. Our doctors can diagnose your symptoms, prescribe non-narcotic medication (if needed), and send e-prescriptions to your nearest pharmacy.

No. MDLIVE is designed to handle non-emergency medical conditions and can often substitute for a doctor’s office, Urgent Care Clinic, or Emergency Room visit for common conditions like the flu or pink eye. However, it is not intended to replace your primary care doctor or to be used in life-threatening emergencies.

You should not use MDLIVE if you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency. In the case of a life threatening medical or mental health emergency, dial 911 immediately.

You can easily sign up or activate your account by using one of the following methods:

1. Go online and visit: mdlive.com
2. Call our toll free number: 1-888-632-2738
3. Download our Mobile App, available on the iTunes store and Google Play.

** You will receive an email confirmation upon completion of registration for every member added to the account. All members on the account must have their own account, including children.

You can start using MDLIVE immediately after you sign up and activate your account. Sign up and activation are totally free. If you are required to pay, you will only be asked for your credit card information when you visit with a doctor. Once you have an MDLIVE account, you can browse doctor profiles, view available appointment times, and schedule an appointment with the doctor of your choice. Want to go one step further? Be sure to fill out your medical history profile to better prepare your MDLIVE doctor for your appointment.

MDLIVE is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, even on holidays. Use MDLIVE anytime you have a non-emergency medical condition, are unable to see your primary care provider, or when you simply prefer a convenient, cost effective alternative to the emergency room, urgent care center, or clinic.

MDLIVE is available anywhere in the United States**. Our network of Board Certified doctors will be provided to you based on the state you are located. We make sure that each doctor is fully licensed to practice medicine in your state.

**Availability of phone visits varies in accordance with state regulations

Getting started is totally free. If you’re receiving MDLIVE as part of a group benefit, you may not be required to pay at all. If you are required to pay, you will only be charged after you choose to consult with a doctor and your appointment time and payment information are confirmed. You can cancel your appointment and receive a full refund, provided that you cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment time. MDLIVE accepts most major credit and debit cards.

Yes, MDLIVE can be accessed on most mobile devices with an Internet connection. Our MDLIVE Mobile App is available for download in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store.

Yes, if the MDLIVE doctor believes medication is warranted, he or she can write a prescription and send it directly to the pharmacy of your choice. Please be aware that we do not prescribe controlled substances (e.g. narcotic medications, anxiolytics, stimulants), nor do we prescribe certain other medications (see Full list here). And finally, MDLIVE does not guarantee a prescription will be written; that will be determined by the physician, based on your clinical presentation.

SUMMARY

Like all medications, antibiotics have both benefits and risks. Used for the right reason they are lifesavers, but if used incorrectly, they can cause a variety of problems from allergic reactions to side effects. Additionally, inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to “antibiotic resistance”, which means the antibiotics might not work for you when you really need it! Read more below to become an expert on this subject:

• When to use antibiotics: Your MDLIVE provider has many years of education and experience they use to help decide if your problem requires an antibiotic. If they think you have a BACTERIAL infection, then they will likely prescribe an antibiotic, but if they think you have a VIRAL infection, they will avoid giving you an antibiotic since it will not help and may actually cause some harm. In an otherwise healthy individual, most upper respiratory infections (e.g. sinusitis, ear infections) start as a VIRAL illness, and only occasionally develop into BACTERIAL infections after 1-2 weeks.
• Can MDLIVE help with VIRAL Infections? Absolutely! When you present with symptoms for under a week, your physician will assess your full story and may treat you with decongestants and various anti-inflammatories, but will avoid giving you an antibiotic in this viral phase since it does not help and may cause problems. However, if you have more severe symptoms, then your physician will use their best judgment in deciding if you have developed an early bacterial infection and thus antibiotics would help.
• Overuse of antibiotics may make them less effective in the future. “Antibiotic resistance” means that antibiotics are becoming less effective overall in the United States as we have overused them for many years. Additionally, no new types of antibiotics has been developed within the last 10 years, so we have to be careful with what we have! In other words, not using an antibiotic today may mean that you (and others) may respond better to antibiotics when you really need them in the future.
• Antibiotics can sometimes do more harm than good. Antibiotic side effects may include gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, vaginal yeast infections, and decreased effectiveness of oral birth control. Even worse, you may develop an allergic reaction that can range from a mild rash to severe life-threatening breathing difficulties and anaphylactic shock. Finally, an increasingly common risk is developing a severe form of diarrhea (called C. Dificile) which occurs when the “good bacteria” in your gut is killed off by an antibiotic, allowing this “bad bacteria” to grow.
• A doctor often spends more time with patients when they do NOT need an antibiotic. The decision about whether to use an antibiotic is not taken lightly. When your physician decides to NOT use an antibiotic, that often means they have taken more time to consider the best option for you. Your physician has considered the risks and benefits of treatment and asked the appropriate questions to arrive at the best course of action. Further, there is increasing evidence in the medical community that it is a good idea to take a “wait and see” attitude towards antibiotic usage due to increasing resistance and side effects, especially in children. Conditions such as ear infections, sore throat, sinus infection, and cough can often be managed with a variety of other medications instead.

Confidentiality is a respected part of MDLIVE’s Code of Ethics. We take your privacy very seriously. Laws are also in place to protect your privacy. The HIPAA Privacy Rule is designed to be a minimum level of protection. Some states have even stricter laws in place to protect your personal health information. MDLIVE can share your information with your PCP in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

To use video conferencing you need:

• Windows®7, Vista, or XP
• A Mac running OSX 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or superior.
• Highspeed internet connection
• A webcam with at least 1.3 megapixels
• Microphone (most webcams already have microphone built in)

After you set up an account, you will be able to use a simple online simulation to test your configuration and check if you are ready for a virtual consultation.

Yes. Hearing impaired patients can communicate with a doctor using our secure, HIPAA-compliant live chat feature that is available on our website. Patients can communicate with their doctor in an environment that works much like texting. To activate this feature, select “hearing-impaired” and any other categories that apply to you from the accommodations menu, and complete the online registration process. The feature is automatically available each time you login by clicking the icon located at the bottom right-hand side of the screen. At present, live chat only available on the MDLIVE website and not on the MDLIVE app.

Don’t see your question? Don’t worry. Just call us at 1-888-632-2738. We have highly trained health service specialists standing by to take your call, 24/7/365.