One morning, Charlie Latuske woke up feverish in his home in Surrey in the UK, leaving him unable to function. He'd had a sore throat for a few days, believing it would get better, but that morning, he knew that he was in need of a doctor.
"I was quite out of it," said 27-year-old Latuske, who was also expected to go on vacation with his wife in just three days.
Short on time, he feared the idea of calling his local physician only to wait days or to wait in a long line for an appointment, "I just needed to be seen without messing around with long lines of people," he said. "When you're that ill, that's the last thing you want to do."
These days, the solution is somewhat easier, thanks to the Internet.
Latuske's wife showed him a private medical app with which he could see a doctor w thin the hour—virtually. For £30, he could signup, share his symptoms(症状) and video-call a doctor in the UK using the digital health provider Push Doctor. The app is on c of many now available(可用的) worldwide to help people in need of medical attention who are unable to get to a doctor for various reasons.
"I was highly skeptical," he said, adding that he didn't trust such a service and questioned the professionalism of doctors available through it. "But I was in great need of a doctor."
Within 20 minutes, he was speaking with a doctor, who soon diagnosed(诊断) him with tons ii is, a common disease.
Within the hour, he was at his nearest drug store, collecting medicines. And three days later, he was on vacation, as planned.
"I was impressed by the efficiency of the whole thing," he said.
