Telehealth vs Urgent Care for a UTI and How They Compare
For typical UTI symptoms with no warning signs, telehealth is usually the faster route. With Starfish.com, you answer a short questionnaire from home, a licensed clinician reviews it, and if antibiotics are appropriate the prescription goes to the pharmacy you choose, usually within 1 to 2 hours.
Urgent care is the better choice when you need to be examined or have a urine test in person. And some symptoms mean skipping both and going to an emergency room. Those are covered below.
Telehealth vs Urgent Care at a Glance
| Telehealth with Starfish.com | Urgent care | |
|---|---|---|
| How it starts | An online questionnaire, from home | You travel to the center and check in |
| Who reviews your symptoms | A licensed clinician reviews your answers | A clinician sees you in person and can examine you |
| Urine test | The clinician decides from your symptoms whether one is needed | Can be done during the visit, where the center offers it |
| Time to a prescription | Usually 1 to 2 hours from starting the questionnaire | Depends on the wait at the center, plus travel |
| Paying | A flat fee for the review and prescription. HSA and FSA cards accepted | A visit fee, plus any tests. May be billed to your insurance, depending on your plan |
| Medication | Paid for at your pharmacy | Paid for at your pharmacy |
| What you walk away with | A prescription at the pharmacy you chose | A prescription, and any test results |
| Best for | Typical bladder infection symptoms and no warning signs | Unclear symptoms, a treatment that has not worked, or a need for an exam |
How Telehealth Treats a UTI
The CDC notes that a healthcare professional may diagnose a UTI by asking about your symptoms, doing a physical exam, and ordering urine tests if needed.[1] For a typical bladder infection, the symptoms themselves often tell the clinician enough.
The CDC lists the common symptoms of a bladder infection as pain or burning when you urinate, needing to go often, feeling you need to go even when your bladder is empty, blood in your urine, and pressure or cramping in your groin or lower belly.[1] If that sounds like you, a questionnaire covers what the clinician needs to know.
With Starfish.com, the clinician chooses the antibiotic from your answers, your allergies and any past UTIs. Options include nitrofurantoin (Macrobid), sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (Bactrim), cephalexin (Keflex), amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (Augmentin) and ciprofloxacin (Cipro). If one has worked for you before, you can ask for it. If your answers suggest you need an exam or a test, the clinician will tell you rather than prescribe.
Treat Your UTI From Home
Answer a short questionnaire. A licensed clinician reviews it and, if antibiotics are appropriate, sends a prescription to the pharmacy you choose.
When Urgent Care Is the Better Choice
Go to urgent care, or see your own doctor, when an in-person visit adds something a questionnaire cannot:
- You have taken antibiotics for this infection and your symptoms have not improved.
- Your symptoms are unusual for you, or you are not sure it is a UTI.
- You want a urine test before you start treatment.
When to Skip Both and Go to the ER
A bladder infection that spreads to the kidneys needs prompt care. The CDC lists the signs of a kidney infection as fever, chills, pain in your lower back or the side of your back, and nausea or vomiting.[1]
Go to an emergency room if you have severe pain in your lower belly, pelvis, back or side, or a fever with vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down. The CDC advises seeing a healthcare professional for any symptom that is severe or concerning.[1]
If you are pregnant, contact your obstetrician. Starfish.com does not treat anyone who is pregnant, because infections in pregnancy need extra care.
What You Pay For
The Starfish.com fee covers the clinician’s review and the prescription. You pay for the medication at the pharmacy, the same way you would with a prescription from your own doctor.
You can pay with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) card, and you can ask for an itemized receipt to submit to your insurer yourself.
FAQ
Can I get antibiotics for a UTI online without a urine test?
It depends on your symptoms. A licensed clinician reviews your symptoms and decides whether a test is needed first. If it is, they will tell you rather than prescribe.
How fast can I get UTI antibiotics online?
With Starfish.com, the prescription usually reaches your pharmacy within 1 to 2 hours of starting the questionnaire. You can pick it up once the pharmacy has filled it.
Do I have to talk to a doctor?
Usually not. A licensed clinician reviews your questionnaire. If your state’s telehealth rules require a short phone call first, Starfish.com arranges it at no extra cost.
What if my symptoms get worse after I start antibiotics?
Get seen in person promptly, especially if you develop a fever, chills, back or side pain, or vomiting. The CDC lists these as possible signs of a kidney infection.[1]
Get UTI Treatment Without the Waiting Room
Choose your treatment, answer a few questions, and a licensed clinician takes it from there.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Urinary Tract Infection Basics.” https://www.cdc.gov/uti/about/index.html
