What happens after your video visit: prescriptions, labs and follow-up

A visit with Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, a general practice physician licensed in Puerto Rico, does not end with a simple "feel better." Before saying goodbye, the doctor explains what she found, which treatment she recommends and what to do over the next few days. This is the time to ask what you did not follow: how to take a medicine, how long to wait before expecting improvement, or which signs should make you seek help sooner.

Depending on what you discussed, your plan can include a prescription, a lab order, a doctor's note, steps to take at home or a follow-up visit. Each step is explained below. If you have not had your first visit yet, see how it works.

If the doctor decides a medicine is appropriate for you, she prescribes it and we send the prescription to the pharmacy you chose. That is why you should have your pharmacy's name, and the branch if it has several, ready before you log on. If your usual pharmacy is closed, you can ask for the prescription to go to another one; see our guide to 24-hour pharmacies in Puerto Rico.

A prescription is a medical decision, not an automatic step: it depends on your history, your allergies, your other medicines and what is found during the visit. That is why the doctor asks about all of it. Medicines you already take, non-controlled, can be handled with a prescription refill.

When a test is needed to complete a diagnosis or follow a treatment, the doctor gives you a lab order for a lab near you. Some tests require fasting and others do not; ask during the visit which applies to you. Bring your photo ID and the order to the lab. To see how these tests are ordered, read about lab orders.

When your results are in, don't leave them in an envelope. Read the guide to understanding your lab results and book a follow-up visit so the doctor can go over them with you and tell you what comes next. Reviewing results from an earlier visit is only for patients we have already seen.

If you need a doctor's note for work, school or daycare, tell the doctor during the visit. When appropriate, it is included with the visit. See doctor's notes. You can find more in the documents section.

A follow-up visit is a short video call with the same doctor, with a published price on pricing. It is how you close the loop on your care. You can book it to:

Booking a new visit is the right move when:

A video visit does not replace emergency care. Call 911 or go to the emergency room, day or night, if after your visit you have chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, confusion, weakness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, an allergic reaction with swelling of the face or lips, vomiting blood, seizures or a very high fever that will not come down. See our emergencies page.

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988, or call Línea PAS at 1-800-981-0023.

Video doctor visits 24/7 — book online and choose your time right away. Every day, any time (Puerto Rico time). You choose the visit, pay by card when you request it and, if the clinic cannot see you, you get a full refund. The service is run by The Health Initiative, a nonprofit.