- Irish customers can now avail of online consultations with a GP, accessible at boots.ie/online-doctor
- Repeat prescriptions can be requested for a wide range of conditions
Tuesday, 16th April 2021: Boots Ireland now offer their patients access to online consultations with a GP, or for repeat prescription ordering. The move is in response to patient need for safe, accessible, digital solutions for healthcare. The service offers a quick and easy way for people to book an online consultation with a doctor or order a repeat prescription, making it easier to access healthcare services from the comfort of your own home. A recent report by the Medical Council found that there has been a five-fold increase in the use of telemedicine in Ireland since the start of the pandemic, the main benefits of telemedicine were identified by customers as ease of access, cost effectiveness, minimising physical contact with others and convenience.[i]
The Online Doctor Service provides GP-led appointments for non-emergency medical issues where a physical check-up may not be necessary. Customers can also use the service to order a repeat prescription for a range of health conditions including acne, asthma, contraceptive pill and patch, cystitis, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, high cholesterol, IBS, malaria prevention, period delay, premature ejaculation, smoking cessation, strep throat infections, thrush treatment and weight loss.
Commenting on the launch of the Boots Ireland Online Doctor Service, Caoimhe McAuley, Director of Pharmacy and Superintendent Pharmacist, Boots Ireland said: “The launch of the Online Doctor Service at Boots Ireland represents an evolution of the range of services already provided to our customers as we continue to innovate our pharmacy services offering. Customers now have the opportunity to access GP services via our Online Doctor Service at boots.ie/online-doctor. Here patients can consult with a GP, access trusted advice and receive a prescription if required, which can be dispensed at any of our nationwide pharmacies. While we continue to live with COVID-19, the ability to access a GP from the comfort of your own home has additional benefits in terms of infection prevention and control where it may be preferable not to attend for an in-person GP appointment. We hope that this service offers greater convenience for our customers.”
How the Online Doctor customer journey works:
- Visit the Online Doctor at boots.ie/online-doctor
- Book an appointment for an online consultation, or follow the simple steps to order a repeat prescription
- If you receive a prescription, it can be dispensed at a Boots pharmacy of your choice.
The Online Doctor Service is a convenient, cost-effective alternative to in-person care where appropriate. The service is priced at €35 for a GP video consultation and €25 for a repeat prescription. As this Online Doctor service is provided by a third party, the cost of dispensed medication is in addition to the cost of the consultation and any prescription issued by the GP.
For more information and to avail of online consultations, access GP-led medical advice and referrals and order your prescriptions visit boots.ie/online-doctor.
[i] https://www.medicalcouncil.ie/news-and-publications/press-releases/press-release/items/five-fold-increase-in-use-of-telemedicine-in-ireland-since-start-of-pandemic.html
