As a member, you can see a doctor or mental health professional around the clock — but the fees can be steep.
Explore this practice if you want access to 24/7 telemedicine appointments.
Choose something else if you prefer longer consultations, or speaking to a doctor over the phone.
How does Doctor on Demand work?
Doctor on Demand is an app-based service that offers telemedicine appointments with a network of licensed, board-certified physicians across the US. Consultations are available 24/7.
To access the platform, you need to become a member — but unlike most subscription services, Doctor on Demand doesn’t charge monthly or yearly fees. You’ll only pay a fee when you speak to a doctor.
How long does an appointment last?
A standard medical appointment lasts 15 minutes. At the 13-minute mark, you’ll get a notification asking if you’d like to extend your visit by 15 minutes. If you do, you’ll be charged for an additional visit at the same rate.
Teletherapy appointments last 15 to 50 minutes, with the same option to extend.
Can I choose my doctor?
It depends on the type of care you’re receiving, and when you want to visit a doctor.
If you want to see a medical doctor right away, the app will automatically connect you with the next available doctor. But if you’d like to schedule an appointment for a later day or time, you can choose your doctor.
If you’re seeking a psychologist or psychiatrist, you’ll always be able to select a doctor from a list of licensed providers in your state. You can opt to meet with the same therapist for all future appointments.
What conditions can Doctor on Demand treat?
As a patient, you can access urgent, preventative and basic specialist care via Doctor on Demand.
Type of care
Examples of conditions
Urgent care
Asthma
Cold and flu
Cough
COVID-19
Fever
Nausea
Sinus infections
Chronic care
Diabetes
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Kidney disease
Thyroid disorders
Preventive and routine care
Allergies — including EpiPen refills
Digestive disorders
Headaches and migraines
Skin conditions — including acne, cellulitis, hives, rashes and sunburn
Men’s health — including prostatitis, erectile dysfunction and STIs
Women’s health — including birth control guidance, UTIs, yeast infections, metabolic syndrome and STIs
Muscle and joint pain
Behavioral and mental health teletherapy
Anxiety
Anger issues
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Fatigue
Insomnia
Low mood and mood swings
Relationship issues
Restlessness
Panic attacks
Postpartum care — including postnatal depression, losses and miscarriages
Substance abuse disorder
Trauma and grief — including abuse and PTSD
Medication
Generic prescriptions
Dosage changes
Medication reviews, refills and interactions
Wellness
Vitamin deficiencies
Obesity
Poor diet and nutrition
Stress
Smoking cessation
Can my doctor order a lab test?
Yes, your doctor can order lab work. If you go ahead with it, Doctor on Demand will send the results to you within 10 business days of the test.
Can my doctor prescribe medication?
Yes. But doctors won’t prescribe controlled substances with a high potential for abuse or addiction.
This includes codeine, oxycodone and certain pain medications, like Gabapentin.
What doesn’t Doctor on Demand treat?
Doctor on Demand isn’t suitable for medical emergencies.
If you’re experiencing any of these illnesses or conditions, you’ll need to see a doctor in person or go to hospital:
Brain and spinal cord injuries
Broken bones
Chest pain and numbness
Lacerations (i.e. skin cuts and wounds)
Loss of consciousness
Severe burns
Vomiting and coughing blood
What’s changed during COVID-19?
Doctor on Demand launched additional services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a self-assessment feature that helps you determine your risk of contracting the virus.
If you suspect you’ve contracted or been exposed to the coronavirus, your doctor can:
Assess your symptoms and create a treatment plan.
Provide a doctor’s note if you need to miss work or school.
Give you a referral for a diagnostic test.
Order antibody tests on your behalf through LabCorp and Quest.
Help you find your nearest testing location.
How much does Doctor on Demand cost?
Doctor Demand charges a flat rate fee per visit.
Type of appointment
Fee
Medical
$75 for a 15-minute consultation
Psychology
$129 for a 25-minute consultation
$179 for a 50-minute consultation
Psychiatry
$299 for an initial 45-minute consultation
$129 for a 15-minute follow-up appointment
Can I use my FSA or HSA to pay for my Doctor on Demand visit?
Yes. You can pay for your visit with your Flexible Savings Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) debit card.
The app also accepts all major credit cards, as well as PayPal.
Does Doctor on Demand accept insurance?
Yes. Doctor on Demand works with most major insurance companies, and the amount you’re reimbursed comes down to your specific plan. It also accepts Medicare (Part B).
To find out if your insurance applies, follow these steps:
Sign into the app.
Hover over the gear symbol in the top right corner, and click Insurance.
Select your insurer from the dropdown box.
If you have health insurance through work, you can also search by Employer.
Where is Doctor on Demand available?
Doctor on Demand is available nationwide. When you request a telemedicine appointment, the app will ask for your location and only connect you to providers who are licensed in your state.
Pros and cons of Doctor on Demand
Pros
No membership fees. You’ll only pay when you visit a doctor.
Around-the-clock appointments. Physicians are available 24/7.
Wide scope of services. Doctors can diagnose and treat mental health conditions and medical conditions, and write prescriptions.
Ability to choose your doctor. You can pick your physician or therapist, or allow the app to make a match for you.
Strict screening process. Along with being licensed and board-certified, physicians must pass quality assurance tests and undergo telemedicine training.
Cons
Video chat is the only option. Doctor on Demand doesn’t offer phone consultations, which may exclude people who don’t have access to a smartphone or a webcam-enabled computer.
High fees. Consultations start at $75 for medical services, and $129 for teletherapy.
Lack of live chat support. The platform doesn’t have a real-time chat feature for its members.
Poor reputation. Customers complain about some physicians not being up front about the cost of lab work and prescriptions.
Compare alternatives to Doctor on Demand
Doctor on Demand reviews and complaints
Doctor on Demand isn’t accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but it has an A+ rating for its customer interaction. It’s a different story with customers, who award the company 1.5 out of 5 stars. While customers like the convenience the app offers, they complain about rushed appointments and surprise insurance bills.
The BBB recorded 51 complaints over the past three years, all of which were addressed by the company.
Since its launch in 2012, Doctor on Demand has received a lot of positive press — but it’s clear some physicians need to work on being more transparent with their patients.
Doctor on Demand reviews: Finder team members share their experiences using Doctor on Demand
Case study: Alexa's experience
Alexa Serrano
Banking editor
“I used Doctor in Demand twice in 2019. The experience was very quick and easy. When scheduling my appointment I was asked to add notes, questions and any symptoms.
Once the appointment was scheduled and all the notes and documents were uploaded, I received an email confirming the appointment and instructing me to sign in to the app a few minutes before the appointment would start. After the appointment, the doctor communicated what the next steps were and if I needed to pick up any prescription. The doctor also offered to write a doctor’s note to my employer if I had to miss any days of work.
It cost $49 for the appointment, which was more than I would have spent if I had seen my family doctor in person. But it was a season where I was very busy at work and I didn’t have the time to go in to the doctor’s office. Plus, this saved me from having to schedule my appointment months in advance just to see my doctor.”
How to sign up for Doctor on Demand
You’ll need to become a member before you can see a physician. Follow these steps:
Download the Doctor on Demand app for iPhone or Android.
Click Register.
Enter your personal and contact details, and upload your medical data if you wish. This will give your future doctors a bit of background about your health ahead of appointments.
Many employers offer a Doctor on Demand membership as part of their health benefits. To find out if your workplace participates, read through your benefit documents or speak to your HR department.
What happens after I sign up?
Once you’ve registered, you can begin booking appointments.
Go to the home screen of the app and click See a Medical Doctor Now or See a Therapist Now, and enter your symptoms and reason for the visit.
Frequently asked questions
You only need to schedule an appointment if you want to see a therapist. Medical doctors are available on demand.
In most cases, yes — you’ll need to schedule another visit.
But if your psychiatrist prescribed medication, you can request an automatic refill by tapping the Help button in the app.
You can book an appointment, but the physician will only be able to offer medical advice. They can’t write prescriptions, but they may offer guidance on the type of medication you should try to obtain.
Katia Iervasi is a staff writer who hails from Australia and now calls New York home. Her writing and analysis has been featured on sites like Forbes, Best Company and Financial Advisor around the world. Armed with a BA in Communication and a journalistic eye for detail, she navigates insurance and finance topics for Finder, so you can splash your cash smartly (and be a pro when the subject pops up at dinner parties).
Expert review
Doctor on Demand offers 24/7 virtual appointments with medical physicians as well as psychologists and psychiatrists. It stands out for its wide scope of practice spanning urgent, routine and preventative care as well as mental health and wellness, and only charges a fee when you visit a doctor.
As a patient, you can choose your therapist and doctor — if you’re willing to wait for an appointment.
While the app accepts most health insurance plans, the pay-per-visit fees are steep and the platform doesn’t support phone consults. For these reasons, try to view Doctor on Demand as a form of supplementary healthcare for those times when you can’t or don’t need to see a physician in-person.
At Finder, we value and respect our editorial independence. We keep our reviews completely factual so you can use them to make better decisions. While we may receive revenue and referral fees from advertising and affiliate links, advertisers do not approve our reviews.
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