Frequently Asked Questions

If you need ER-Alternative Care now, book an appointment online in minutes. We’ll ask a few questions then let you know what to expect. Please visit Our Services page to learn about accessing our other lines of care, designed to support those facing serious or complex medical concerns.

We employ physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and medical technicians — the same kinds of experienced healthcare professionals you might find in a hospital or ER. Our care always begins with a visit from a healthcare professional to your home. Based on your needs and the type of care you are enrolled in, our professionals will continue to provide care in person or remotely. An emergency or hospital medicine doctor is always just a phone call away.

We treat many of the same conditions that are traditionally handled in an ER or hospital, including serious and chronic concerns. Please visit our Services Overview to understand the types of care we offer, or see our Conditions page for a list of common health concerns we treat and support.

Yes, in many cases our care providers can perform lab tests and arrange for imaging services in the home. In some cases we may take samples and send them to an outside lab facility for processing. In other cases, we may direct you to follow up yourself with a lab that we recommend.

If your condition calls for x-rays or other imaging, your DispatchHealth care provider may help you schedule arrange for these services through our at-home imaging support, or may direct you to an alternate facility, depending on your needs. Note that patients cannot self-schedule DispatchHealth at-home imaging services.

For ER-Alternative Care, our teams are typically available for same-day scheduling. When you book your appointment, you’ll select a 4-hour window that works for you from the available options. Occasionally if demand is very high in your area, you will be offered next-day scheduling. Our teams operate with extended hours 7 days a week, holidays included, to make at-home healthcare as accessible as possible.

Yes. Our Transitional Care at Home is available through referral from your healthcare or insurance provider. Our options range from a single visit to help you get settled at home to up to 30 days of sustained support in the comfort and safety of home. If you’re a candidate for Transitional Care, we work with your primary healthcare provider or specialists to set up a plan that matches your needs. We encourage you to talk to your healthcare provider if you believe Transitional Care is a good fit for you or someone you care for.

DispatchHealth Hospital-Alternative Care at Home is available through referral from your healthcare or insurance provider. Our teams provide hospital-level care led by a hospitalist physician and supported by a physician assistant or nurse practitioner and 24×7 virtual monitoring. If you’re a candidate for Hospital-Alternative Care, we work with your primary healthcare provider or specialists to set up a plan that matches your needs. We encourage you to talk to your healthcare provider if you believe Hospital-Alternative Care is a good fit for you or someone you care for.

No. We serve as a partner to primary care providers and specialists to help increase patients’ access to high-quality medical care at every stage of their health journey. We’re available for a wide range of services from ER-Alternative Care to Transitional Care and Hospital-Alternative Care at Home. However, we do not take the place of primary care providers and dedicated specialists, who are in the best position to manage their patients’ overall health.

Many factors go into planning visits each day. Things like how many people need our help, where they live, how urgent their needs are and the healthcare professionals we have available all play a part. We also work with value-based care networks (i.e. insurers, hospitals, health systems, physician groups, etc.) to take care of their high-need patients who come first when scheduling.

If you believe you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. If you develop new or worsening symptoms after your visit with DispatchHealth and can’t wait to be seen due to the severity of your condition, please contact your primary care provider or go to the nearest 24-hour facility. For less urgent questions, we also encourage you to follow up with your primary healthcare provider.

Yes. Whenever you need ER-Alternative Care, you can always schedule an appointment with us. However, DispatchHealth doesn’t replace your primary care provider, who should continue to manage your overall health.

Yes. If we have a primary care provider on file for you, we will proactively reach out to them to communicate the details of the care you received at home, typically within 24 hours.

To access a copy of your full DispatchHealth medical record, we recommend you work with our partner, ChartRequest. Chart Request is a self-service portal and app that allows patients to set up an account and securely access records for themselves, or on behalf of a dependent. Please keep in mind that medical records requests may take 7-10 days to process.

Log in or set up an account in our patient portal, managed by athenaHealth, here.

Please contact us with feedback or suggestions regarding your experience with DispatchHealth.

Please visit our Aftercare Support Page for more detailed guidance including how to access follow-up care, test results and medical records.

If we’re covered by your insurance, a DispatchHealth visit will cost about the same as equivalent service in a traditional healthcare setting. Since prices vary by plan, we recommend you check with your insurance provider if you need an exact quote. Keep in mind that if you have not yet met your plan’s deductible, your cost may be higher.

DispatchHealth accepts most major insurance plans in the areas we serve. For ER-Alternative Care, you can visit our Locations page to confirm coverage in your area. If you need an appointment today, schedule here and we’ll check your insurance for you. For our non-urgent healthcare services, eligibility depends on a referral from your health insurance provider.

If we’re covered by your insurance, you’ll pay nothing up front. After your visit, we’ll work directly with your insurance company and bill you by mail and through our patient portal.

If you don’t have insurance, or we don’t work with your insurance provider, you may still be able to receive care from DispatchHealth (depending on availability) at a flat rate of $1,000 per visit.* This cost covers everything we do to care for you at your house, including administering medication, procedures, and on-site lab tests. *Please call us to verify the current visit rate in your area and discuss any discounts which may be available.

You can pay your bill by credit, debit, health savings account (HSA), health reimbursement account (HRA) or flexible spending account (FSA).

During your visit we may prescribe medications or recommend that you seek imaging or additional care from other providers. These follow-ups are not included in your DispatchHealth visit and will result in separate bills.

We work directly with your insurance to determine your bill. This process typically takes 30-45 days. Once your balance is determined, we send your bill by mail and make it available in an online patient portal managed by athenahealth. Log in or set up your athenahealth portal account.

It’s easy to pay your bill online through the athenahealth patient portal. Log in or set up your portal account today. You can also pay your bill by mail if you prefer.

We know medical billing can be confusing. This resource provides a deeper explanation of common billing and insurance processes that you may find helpful.

Our Customer Service team is available to help Monday through Friday at 833-948-1237. Please do not use this number for health or safety-related questions.

DispatchHealth is a privately held company.

DispatchHealth was founded in 2013 by Mark Prather, MD, and Kevin Riddleberger, PA-C, MBA. The company was created with a mission to extend the power of the healthcare system to the comfort and safety of home.

DispatchHealth is headquartered in Denver, CO and operates in communities nationwide.

No. In addition to ER-Alternative Care, we offer lines of service for many stage of a patient’s health journey. For patients who are recommended by their doctor or insurance provider, we provide Transitional Care at Home for recovery after an ER visit or hospital or skilled nursing facility stay. We also provide Hospital-Alternative Care, by referral only, that helps people continue a hospital stay at home or avoid being admitted altogether. Learn more about our services.