Online medical care has changed my daily life, where I was too busy to go to the hospital

Going to the hospital is a hassle. It's a pain.

I feel like I can finally say goodbye to the version of myself that lived by ignoring my health problems. That's why I want to share the wonders of LINE Doctor with everyone in this article.

What exactly is such a hassle?

First of all, I can't find a block of time. Hospitals are crowded, and you have to wait. Because I have that image in my head, I feel like I need to find a time when I have about two hours of free time to go.

But in our household, with two working parents and three children (10, 4, and 0 years old), that kind of timing never comes unless an unavoidable situation arises. Like when I'm in so much pain I can't stand it, or when I need to submit a medical certificate to school or daycare.

While I make excuses like that and put it off, the symptoms I was worried about either go away, or they don't, or whatever.

To add to that, I have experienced online medical care itself in the past. It was introduced by the pediatrician we go to whenever something happens to the kids.

However, they had their own unique system installed, and the process of checking if there was an open slot for online consultation that day and then booking it if there was a miracle opening was tedious, so I didn't really end up using it again.

An unavoidable situation arises, and I have my first experience with LINE Doctor

I suffer from migraines. I go to acupuncture every week, I take herbal medicine, and I do stretches when I feel like it (I should do them more properly).

It's better than doing nothing, but during the rainy season or when it suddenly gets hot, it's hell. I can't stand up, and I even end up vomiting. Migraines are tough, you know.

Since I'm currently breastfeeding my 7-month-old son, I can't take the strong medicine I used to. When I was going to the OB-GYN, I used to get 'headache medicine that is safe to take during pregnancy' prescribed during my checkups. But that finally ran out.

I was in a bind.

Just as I was thinking that, I was passionately recommended to try it on a podcast I do with my friend "Non-chan," where she said, "LINE Doctor is the best," and "You can book it immediately on the day, so do it today."

Even though I said, "Sounds good, I'll do it," I didn't, and Non-chan reminded me, "Did you do it?" Sorry, I'll do it right away.

And so, my first experience with LINE Doctor came suddenly one day.

It was around 6:30 PM while I was handling everything on my own. My headache was severe due to the intense daytime heat. The kids were noisy too. I need headache medicine right now! With that feeling, I opened LINE while taking care of the kids with one hand and added LINE Doctor as a friend.

"The user experience is amazing"

Just as I was recommended, I prayed "I want to be seen today" while following the prompts on the icons, and it turns out I can see a doctor at 7:30 PM! While staying at home!

It might be hard to understand what happened, but if you trust the icons displayed and keep tapping, you can make a reservation. As long as you find your preferred medical department and a "doctor who can see you at your preferred time."

Let's keep this momentum going!

I went ahead and took a photo of my insurance card, entered the information for my regular pharmacy (I did call to ask if they accept online consultation prescriptions via fax, just in case), and registered my credit card.

While giving absent-minded replies to my 4-year-old who was chattering away next to me, the reservation was complete. It was over in a flash.

After that, while I was feeding the kids, my LINE rang.

Honestly, I had completely forgotten that I had made the reservation. It hadn't even been an hour. My own memory scares me.

I hurriedly started a video call with the doctor. While managing the noisy children behind me, I explained my symptoms and asked for a headache medicine that I could take even while breastfeeding.

This, too, was over in a flash. If I had known it was like this, I should have done it sooner. Thank you, Non-chan, for the intense reminder. It really changes your life, seriously.

✍Points I liked

(1) No membership registration required: You can do it as an extension of the LINE features you already use

(2) You can have the consultation via LINE call: You don't have to think about what tool to use. Even if you accidentally forget the time, you are forcibly reminded by an incoming call from them

By the way, other than the online consultation introduced by the hospital I originally went to, I have never used any others. There are various others, so please use this as a reference.

What happens if there is no online consultation

It's tough. For me now, it's still okay because I work from home. Back when I was commuting to the office, it was even tougher.

I would rush out of the office after 5:00 PM and arrive at the nearest station around 6:00 PM. To wait in line at the hospital, I would go to the hospital first. I would hand over my patient registration card and say, "I'll be back," then dash madly to the nursery school. I would carry my child and rush back to the hospital just before the reception closed.

After waiting a little, the consultation would end in an instant, and I would go to the pharmacy to submit the prescription. Then, I would wait there too, and get my usual medicine.

By the time I got home, it was well past 7:00 PM, and I would be stunned, thinking, "Ahhh, what should I do for dinner?" This must be a common occurrence for families with children.

Of course, there are still times when I want to be seen in person, so I can't say I've "completely said goodbye to that chaotic daily life." However, it was a service experience that made me realize that society is definitely getting better.

When I run out of my medication for my atopic dermatitis, for example, I will definitely use online consultations from now on.