Online medical service to save cost and inconvenience of doctor’s visits

By @SimonCocking

The Doctor Will See You Online

A new online medical service launched in Ireland to provide consultations and prescriptions for a fraction of what it would cost to visit a doctor.

For €20 DrEd.com offers online access to qualified GPs and prescription services for selected treatments including the contraceptive pill and asthma inhalers. The service aims to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, and launches as Irish people seek new ways to save on unavoidable costs.

In Ireland medical consultations, testing and private prescriptions are currently available for contraception, impotence, asthma, acne, rosacea, high cholesterol and malaria. With asthma rates in Ireland the fourth highest in the world, DrEd believes the service will be a welcome relief to those constantly paying out for repeat prescriptions.

Medical Director for DrEd, Dr Louisa Draper, says: “DrEd aims to lower healthcare costs for Irish consumers and save them the inconvenience of visiting a doctor for certain health issues – particularly those requiring repeat prescriptions like the contraceptive pill and asthma.”

She adds: “The service is not proposing to keep patients from seeing doctors face-to-face when they need to, but it could cut down on overall health costs by helping patients solve simple health problems without an expensive clinic visit. For some conditions the privacy and confidentiality offered from the comfort of your own home will be a strong attraction.”

How does the service work?

Patients complete a confidential online assessment on DrEd.com/ie and pay a consultation fee of €20. This is then reviewed by one of DrEd’s online doctors and a private prescription is issued if suitable. The prescription is sent free of charge in discreet packaging to the address provided and can be used at any pharmacy in Ireland. If for any reason the doctor does not issue a prescription, a full refund is issued.

While the supply of prescription-only medicine online or by mail order is illegal in Ireland, supplying a prescription is not. New legislation allows patients in Ireland to seek medical services from any country in the European Union.

DrEd is a registered service that only employs experienced doctors who are registered with the UK’s General Medical Council (GMC) and are specialists in their field of practice.

For more information on the service visit: www.dred.com/ie/