Learn how Vanderbilt Health OnCall provides on-demand healthcare that comes to you.
Driving across town to get to a clinic and sitting in a waiting room takes time and energy. And if you’re not feeling well, leaving the comfort of your home may be the last thing you want to do. With Vanderbilt Health’s OnCall service, a healthcare provider can come to you instead, within two hours of your request. You don’t have to be at home, either. An OnCall nurse practitioner will visit your workplace, hotel or wherever you are.
Why use Health OnCall
“We live in a world of convenience,” said Nakeisha Micheaux, MSN, FNP-BC. “Convenience is the number one benefit. You can stay home and not go in to your primary care office or walk-in clinic to be exposed to germs and other sick individuals.”
And in cases of mild illness, you can carry on with your typical day, Micheaux explained. A urinary tract infection may not keep you home from work, for example, but an antibiotic is the only cure and the fastest route to relief. If you’re unable to leave work, OnCall will come to you. Likewise, you may start to feel unwell on the job. The OnCall team can test you for the flu or strep throat.
“Moms, especially, stay-at-home moms love this service,” Micheaux said. Out-of-towners also take advantage of OnCall. “People call us when they’re here visiting for conferences at hotels,” she said.
How OnCall works
If you’d like an appointment, download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, or you can use this online form. The app will automatically locate you, or you can provide an alternate address. You can enter your insurance information or select the cash-pay option and provide a credit card number.
After you’ve requested an appointment, an OnCall nurse practitioner will call you. “We do a phone triage,” Micheaux explained. “Our providers determine what’s an emergency, what’s appropriate for our service, and what’s not.” If someone is having chest pain, for example, a nurse practitioner would recommend the person go to the ER rather than use OnCall.
A nurse practitioner will arrive within two hours of your request. Most patients can then be treated in about 20 to 30 minutes. The OnCall team can examine you, run lab tests and prescribe necessary medications. “If it was going to take you a while to get to the pharmacy,” Micheaux added, “we can give you that first dose.”
Cost to use OnCall
Out-of-pocket costs will vary per individual, based on your health insurance, copay and deductible. However, the cost is comparable to a traditional office visit, and in some cases, it’s cheaper, Micheaux said.
If you choose the cash-pay option, the base fee for the visit is $149. “But say, for instance, we need to do any point-of-care testing, which could include a flu swab, strep throat culture or a urinalysis,” Micheaux explained, “that would be an additional $25. But that includes every test; it’s not per test.” The first-time dose of medication is also $25, but again, that includes all medications. With the base fee plus both add-ons, the maximum fee will be about $200.
When to use OnCall
The OnCall service is not meant for emergencies. Patients with a medical emergency should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. OnCall visits are intended for individuals who suspect they have symptoms of a sinus infection, bronchitis, common cold, flu, urinary tract infection, stomach upset, insect bite, rash or a sprain or strain. The service is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for patients 18 or older in the Davidson County, Tennessee, area and the cities of Brentwood, Franklin, Hendersonville and Nolensville.
Vanderbilt Health OnCall does not treat children. If your child needs care on short notice, Vanderbilt’s Children’s After-Hours Clinics offer the convenience of a walk-in clinic with care provided by a board-certified pediatrician from Children’s Hospital. No appointment is necessary, but we recommend calling your pediatrician first. Learn more about services and find locations for Children’s Hospital After-Hours Clinic here.
