FAQs: Virtual Primary Care

Your first appointment with your doctor is a great opportunity to get to know one another. You can expect to:   

• Talk about your current health concerns and goals, taking into account your personal and family health history.  
   
• Develop a health plan, which may include screenings, specialist referrals, lifestyle recommendations and more.  
   
• Discuss treatment options, including prescriptions when appropriate.  

If you forget to ask a question or need support after your visit, our care team is only a few clicks away in our secure message center! 

Instead of figuring out your driving route and printing out paperwork, we want you to focus on what’s most important: Your health! That’s why we recommend that you:    

• Know your personal and family history. Your family health history can give your doctor a lot of information, so, if you can, note any members of your family who’ve experienced a serious health concern such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke or cancer.   
   
• Have your prescription information on hand. This includes the medication name, dosage, frequency and how long you've been taking it. It might be easiest to take a photo of your medication packaging or have your prescription nearby during your appointment.  
   
• Be ready to ask the questions on your mind. We know that the time you spend with your doctor is valuable! So, we encourage you to ask your most important questions at the beginning of your visit. This way you can spend more time focusing on what's on your mind. If you still have questions or concerns after your visit, you can schedule a follow-up visit. 

If you know it’s time for a doctor’s visit but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got your back! Your doctor will guide the conversation about your health, but you can also ask questions like...   

• Is this symptom normal?  
• Is it time for a screening?   
• Can I get treatment for my seasonal allergies? 
• Am I missing any important vaccinations? 
• Can we talk about adjusting my medication?
• When should I come back for another visit? 

It’s a good idea to write down any questions you want to ask so that you don’t forget during your visit. 

Your visit summary includes all the instructions you need. It is sent to you after your visit by your care team through the message center in the First Stop Health mobile app or website. You can also contact us here. 

You can expect to find your visit summary in the message center within 1-3 business days after your visit.

Prescriptions are sent to the pharmacy you chose when scheduling your visit. If you're not sure which pharmacy you selected, message your care team. 

Medications prescribed during your visit are sent to the pharmacy same-day unless your insurance requires prior authorization.  

If you request a refill via the message center, allow 1-2 business days for your prescription to be sent to your pharmacy. 

After your care team has ordered your prescription, you can contact your pharmacy for prescription status updates. 

Questions about what we can prescribe? See our prescription policy.

First Stop Health doctors will send the prescription electronically to the pharmacy you chose when scheduling your visit. The pharmacy should contact you directly when your prescription is ready to be picked up. For status updates, contact the pharmacy. 

Be sure to request your refill before you get to your last week of medication. Refilling a prescription can take 1-3 business days or longer over holidays.  

The quickest way to request a refill is to have your pharmacist fax a request to us at 312-258-1553.  After we receive the fax, your care team will process your request. You can contact your pharmacy directly for status updates, or message us if your request requires prior authorization. 

In some cases, maintenance medications can be refilled by a First Stop Health Virtual Urgent Care doctor. Request an urgent care visit. 

Due to federal laws, First Stop Health cannot prescribe or refill controlled substances, like Xanax and Adderall. However, your care team can connect you with a local in-person provider who can manage these types of medications for you. 

You can find a copy of your lab order at fshealth.com or on the First Stop Health mobile app. Just log in and go to "Past Visits" then "Primary Care."

You can use your lab’s website to find your nearest location and to schedule your visit date and time.

Be sure to always bring the following with you to the lab facility:  

• Your photo ID  
• Your health insurance card   
• A copy of your lab order (print or digital)

First, let your care team know via the message center in the First Stop Health app or website. We will be able to send your lab order to your preferred lab or local hospital. Once your care team sends your lab order to the new location, you can call the facility to ask if you need an appointment or can drop in. This is also a great time to confirm the cost of your labs according to your health insurance plan.  

Ask the lab to fax your results to First Stop Health at 312-258-1553. Let your care team know when you have gotten your labs done via the message center. For routine labs, you should receive your results within 3 days. If you do not hear back from your lab within that timeframe, message your care team or call 888-691-7867.  

Unless your care team instructed you otherwise, do not eat or drink anything other than water for 8 hours leading up to your lab visit. You may find it easiest to go to the lab first thing in the morning so that you can fast overnight while sleeping. Fasting for your labs ensures the most accurate laboratory results on your baseline nutrients. Read more here.

You can find both your visit summary and lab order in your past primary care visits.

The next step is for your doctor to review your labs. Confirm with the lab that your results will be faxed to your care team at 312-258-1553. You can also upload them yourself to the secure message center.

The lab facility will bill your insurance. If your insurance does not cover the full cost of your labs, you may receive a bill from the lab facility. You will be responsible for this bill, and the lab facility will tell you how to pay it.

1. Someone from your care team will reach out to ask for your preferences and insurance information. This will help us find quality, affordable options in your insurance network. Let your care team know as soon as possible if you have provider preferences already.  
    
2. First Stop Health will use your insurance information and/or preferences to provide you with a referral. Once you receive your referral, contact the provider(s) to discuss service prices and schedule an appointment.  
   
   
3. Follow up with us! If you want to share your results with your doctor, verify that they will be faxed to your care team at 312-258-1553. After you’ve completed your visit(s), let us know how it went in your secure message center or schedule a visit to talk to your doctor.  

If you have any questions, feel free to message your care team. 

You might associate healthcare with health insurance. But that isn’t the case here! First Stop Health doctors are separate from insurance. 

If you need outside care, such as imaging, lab work or a specialist visit, we will work to help you find quality, affordable options in your insurance network. For any care outside of First Stop Health, costs according to your insurance plan will apply.

To avoid paying out of pocket, you will need to use HMO-, Tricare- or Medicaid-approved providers for testing, medications and referrals due to insurance restrictions. Please discuss the testing recommended by First Stop Health with your HMO, Tricare or Medicaid provider to find approved options. Not sure who your HMO, Tricare or Medicaid provider is? Call the phone number on your insurance card.  

You can see First Stop Health doctors for medical questions and advice, but we will not be able to order any testing or referrals. 

You can send your insurance card photos to the virtual primary care team in several ways: 

• Option 1: Log into the First Stop Health mobile app and choose “Profile” at the bottom of the homepage, then “Insurance Details,” then “Upload new insurance card,” then “Save.” 
• Option 2: Log into https://app.fshealth.com/ on your desktop computer. Select “Profile” from your home page, then “Edit Insurance Details,” then “Upload new photo of my insurance card,” then “Save.” 
• Option 3: Attach the photos to a message in the First Stop Health message center.

*If you are sending a photo from an iPhone, be sure your photo is not in “live” mode. 

You can fax your medical records to 312-258-1553 or send them as attachments to a message in the First Stop Health message center. We encourage this!  It’s a good idea to share medical history with your First Stop Health doctor so they can have the most informed view of your health.