FAQs About Online Urgent Care

Duke Urgent Care is available seven days a week, 365 days a year, with nine clinics treating patients from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. If you need after-hours help, have an illness or injury that is not life-threatening, or would like the convenience of an appointment from your home, Duke Health Anywhere is an additional option to visit with a board-certified doctor.

Duke Health Anywhere should not be used for emergency care. If you have a life-threatening or serious medical issue, visit the emergency room at Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, or Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Because of the need to be seen in person, Duke Health Anywhere can’t diagnose patients who may have symptoms of ear infection, anxiety or depression, or insomnia or evaluate for smoking cessation. Our doctors can hold visits to discuss symptoms of strep throat but can’t prescribe antibiotics for strep throat treatment.

Antibiotics are effective medications to treat bacterial infections. However, most upper respiratory infections are actually caused by viruses. Treatment of viruses with antibiotics is ineffective and may put you at risk for significant side effects such as diarrhea, upset stomach, yeast infections and allergic reactions. In addition, unnecessary usage of antibiotics can worsen a national problem of antimicrobial resistance which may put you and others at risk for more severe infections in the future. Your doctor will consider your symptoms and recommend the most appropriate and safest treatment.

Doctors will not prescribe controlled substances, muscle relaxants, medications for erectile dysfunction, or state-specific controlled medications. Refills are sometimes available, depending on health history and immediate need.
 

Providers can send most prescriptions to a pharmacy of your choice. 

New patients are welcome. The app (available in Google Play and the Apple App Store) and desktop-based service are open to everyone, whether you’re a Duke patient or not.

Duke Health Anywhere doesn’t accept insurance, and each on-demand chat costs $49. Payment can be made with a credit or debit card at the time of the online visit.

The average wait is typically under 10 minutes, no matter the time of day. A typical visit is about 10 minutes, though visit lengths are not restricted.

No -- visits are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Duke Health Anywhere offers a similar experience as an in-person urgent care visit, where patients don’t see their primary care physician or other commonly seen provider. The online care urgent care platform is a collaboration between Duke Health, American Well, and Online Care Group. Duke has coordinated with Online Care Group to meet your immediate care needs with a list of providers who have an average of 15 years of medical experience.

You can choose from a variety of on-call doctors for urgent care needs. Provider profiles are available to view in the Duke Health Anywhere app or from your desktop.

All providers are U.S. board-certified, and able to treat a wide range of patients and conditions. Spanish-speaking providers may also be available. 

Your medical history won’t be available to your Duke Health Anywhere provider, but you’ll be able to share important details during your virtual visit.

Patients ages 2 and older can been seen. Patients need to be 18 years of age or older to enroll and have their own account. Children under 18 can be added to a parent’s account and hold an online visit with their parent or guardian through Duke Health Anywhere.

Yes. Ask your provider to write you a note before ending your call and it will be sent securely to the Duke Health Anywhere app. The note will be saved in the “Secure Messages” and “Past Visits” tabs.

Yes. Duke Health Anywhere is HIPAA-compliant, allowing for a safe and confidential visit with a provider. A summary will also remain in your Duke Health Anywhere account.

No. Online doctor visits with Duke Health Anywhere only cover urgent care needs for a variety of common, non emergency injuries and illnesses, including colds and flu, rashes, diarrhea, sinus problems, and more.

Yes. Duke Health Anywhere can be accessed anytime, anywhere within the U.S.

We recommend using our mobile app, available available on both Apple iOS and Android. If you decide to use our desktop version, we recommend you use Google Chrome, as the tool may not be compatible with all browsers.