# Finally. An app that let's you consult a doctor from your smartphone **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 11, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090 "2013-12-11T18:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/1 "2013-12-11T18:58:48Z")
And once your health issue is resolved, they can prescribe basic medications. The new app is [Doctor on Demand](http://www.doctorondemand.com/overview/). The cost is $40 for a 15 minute “visit” which you can pay for from your flexible spending account, credit card, etc. > [@](#): > > Doctor On Demand, which raised $3 million earlier this year from the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures, and Venrock, currently partners with 1,000 doctors across the country. Jackson said that he wants the company to modernize the healthcare system by using mobile technology to make a simple doctor’s visit more convenient and stress-free for patients and doctor’s alike. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/2 "2013-12-11T19:10:32Z")
Sounds like a horrible idea. I’m no physician, but there are too many variables that can’t be done over the phone yet. Also, when something is plural, there should be no apostrophes. Their desription says “_doctor’s alike_” which makes me even more cautious of their professionalism. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/3 "2013-12-11T22:28:00Z")
I wonder how many calls will consist of, “Does this look infected to you?” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/4 "2013-12-11T22:42:24Z")
“I need help, Dr. Siri. I have a very high fever and I’ve been throwing up blood.” “Okay. Would you like me to search the web for verified beaver and men towing a flood?” ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/5 "2013-12-12T03:34:29Z")
I think it makes sense, for certain situations. I was thinking about this during our recent ice storm - it was pretty unsafe to be out travelling, so if you’re sick, stuck in your house with your four kids who are home because school is closed, what do you do? A quick consult with a doctor - “Ah, that looks like strep throat, yep, seen it a million times” and other routine problems like that could be pretty helpful to both parties. Doc is unlikely to be wrong, and he and his staff don’t have to be exposed to a sick patient. Patient gets to “cut to the chase” with a prescription for the antibiotics (or whatever) that they were probably 99% sure they needed in the first place. No time or gas money spent coming and going, no office wait, and (probably) cheaper to boot. Obviously, these docs could not be doling out pain meds or anything addictive. And it wouldn’t be helpful if you had a broken leg. But there’s plenty of situations where it’s pretty obvious what’s wrong with you, but the required cure is not available OTC. This sounds like it could help simplify things. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/6 "2013-12-12T05:46:30Z")
I hope they accept bitcoins ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/7 "2013-12-12T16:35:03Z")
I would think in many cases they will just charge you $40 and say you need to see a doctor and/or get some sort of test. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-an-app-that-lets-you-consult-a-doctor-from-your-smartphone/676090/8 "2013-12-12T21:29:03Z")
Are these the guys that were on “Shark Tank” a while back? If I remember right the sharks laughed them off the show because of how horrible their business plan was.