Staff Report
Cottage CareNow is a new online service from Cottage Health that connects patients with Cottage professionals who can offer online diagnosis and treatment for common medical conditions such as colds, flu, skin rash and more.
Users can access Cottage CareNow at any hour from their smartphone, tablet or computer by visiting cottagehealth.org/carenow. No insurance plan is required to access the service.
The fee is $29 for an online interview or $39 for a video face-to-face visit, payable by credit, debit or health savings card.
Anyone in California who is over 18 can create an account, and dependents can be included. Visits for children under 18 must be completed by a parent.
The service is designed to be easy to use. After entering symptoms and health information, patients choose to have a Cottage Health provider review their results and respond with a treatment plan within an hour or request an immediate face-to-face video visit.
CareNow is staffed by a Cottage Health nurse practitioner and other credentialed providers. When appropriate, prescriptions are submitted directly to the patient’s preferred pharmacy. If virtual care is not appropriate, the patient is not charged for the e-visit and will be referred for an in-person evaluation.
Cottage CareNow also assists in connecting patients with a primary care physician if they do not currently have one.
