What is Telemedicine and How Does It Work?

June 4, 2025

Telemedicine is healthcare delivered remotely using technology to connect patients with medical providers without requiring in-person visits. As someone who’s practiced traditional medicine for over 30 years and now provides cutting-edge telemedicine through ChatRx, I’ve witnessed this transformation firsthand.

Traditional telemedicine typically involves video (sometimes audio) calls between patients and doctors at scheduled appointment times. Patients log into a platform, wait in a virtual waiting room, then have a face-to-face (or audio) conversation with their provider via computer or smartphone.

Asynchronous telemedicine (like ChatRx) works differently. Instead of scheduled video or audio appointments, patients communicate with doctors through secure, text-based platforms. You describe your symptoms through a structured series of questions, and a licensed physician reviews your information and provides diagnosis and treatment recommendations—all without the need for real-time interaction.

Here’s how modern asynchronous telemedicine platforms typically work:

Patient Registration: You create a secure account with basic health information and insurance details (though many platforms also accept cash payments).

Symptom Assessment: You answer specific questions about your symptoms, medical history, and current medications. Advanced platforms use AI to guide this process and ensure comprehensive information gathering.

Medical Review: Licensed physicians review your case and make treatment decisions based on established medical protocols.

Treatment Delivery: If appropriate, prescriptions are sent directly to your pharmacy, and care instructions are provided through the platform.

Follow-up: Many platforms include follow-up communication to make sure that the proposed treatment is effective.