Telehealth services and ScriptDrop’s prescription delivery can bring healthcare directly to your home.
All over the country, companies are sending their employees home with laptops for the foreseeable future. Colleges are switching to online-only classes. In ScriptDrop’s home state of Ohio, schools are shuttered, gatherings are banned, and restaurants are ordered to only offer take-out and delivery orders.
It seems most Americans have agreed: as COVID-19 spreads across the globe, we need to stay away from each other. Epidemiologists coined the phrase “social distancing" to describe that simple idea, and the term has caught on in a big way.
As a result, many industries are experimenting with ways to keep their goods and services available without making people leave their homes.
What Is Social Distancing?
"Social distancing" is being used interchangeably with terms like “quarantine,” but it’s not quite the same. Social distancing is avoidance of other people, especially of large gatherings. Everyone should practice it, regardless of age, current health, or risk group. Reducing human contact is the simplest way to slow the transmission of COVID-19.
The amount of social distance depends somewhat on an individual’s situation. People who live in areas with many confirmed cases should stay home as much as possible. People who live in areas without any confirmed cases can probably leave the house to run an errand or two. Still, it’s best to keep at least six feet away from anyone else to reduce your chance of breathing in a sick person’s sneeze. Avoid group gatherings like concerts, religious services, and athletic events. Remember, the bigger the event, the higher the chance of contagion.
If you can, avoid places where sick people might congregate, like doctor’s offices and pharmacies. That might sound impossible during a pandemic – especially with school-age children being kept at home – but technology can help.
Healthcare + Distance = Telehealth
Telehealth, or the use of technology to provide medical care, is not a new concept. As soon as relevant technology like radios and televisions were invented, doctors and pharmacists began using them to improve patient care. In fact, in 1879, an article in the Lancet “talked about using the telephone to reduce unnecessary office visits.” Now with the prevalence of mobile phones and digital communications, it’s even easier for providers to communicate with their patients.
Ask your insurance provider about your telehealth options and any requirements (such as a smartphone). Note that not all care can be offered by digital means. Sometimes the doctor really does need to see you! But for refill requests or complaints like allergies, sore throats, and UTIs, telehealth visits can eliminate weeks of suffering.
Bridging the Gap with Prescription Delivery
If you had a telehealth visit and the doctor electronically submitted your prescription, you shouldn’t have to leave the house to get your medication. Luckily prescription delivery is available – and not just for customers of a few specific chain pharmacies.
We’re excited to announce that yesterday we expanded the ScriptDrop prescription delivery solution into a nationwide, same-day home service. For a flat $8 fee, patients can request delivery of all their filled prescriptions to their doorstep from a pharmacy of their choosing, within five miles of their home address. Unlike “free” prescription delivery services that rely solely on shipping carriers, ScriptDrop has a vast network of couriers nationwide who can pick up and deliver medication quickly.
In addition, we’ve implemented no-contact policies to protect the health of both patients and drivers. Prescriptions will be dropped off at the patient’s door. If a pharmacy requires patients to sign for their medications, the pharmacy can provide a paper form that the patient can return by mail.
Takeaways
Our team of healthcare experts know how important it is for patients to take their medications consistently. We hope our patient-initiated delivery solution will not only help Americans avoid spreading COVID-19, but also stay healthy in general.
It may seem like overkill to avoid socializing or going out to restaurants. But right now, social distancing is the best way to reduce transmission of COVID-19. Stay aware of your locale's infection situation, keep your distance in public, and use telehealth and delivery whenever you can.
Want to try out $8, nationwide prescription delivery? Text “DELIVER” to 727478 to get started!
Are you a patient, pharmacy owner, or pharmacist who would like to learn more about our patient-initiated delivery solution? Check out our page here.