The rise of 24/7 virtual urgent care: A new era in American healthcare

The landscape of healthcare in the United States is undergoing a significant transformation. At the forefront of this change is the rapid expansion of virtual urgent care, a service model designed to provide immediate, 24/7 access to board-certified medical professionals through digital platforms. As companies like DrHouse and Doctor On Demand pioneer this movement, millions of Americans now enjoy faster, more affordable healthcare—anytime, anywhere.

Virtual urgent care has evolved from a pandemic response to a vital part of healthcare. It reflects changing patient expectations, with a focus on convenience, efficiency, and autonomy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 4 in 10 U.S. adults used telehealth services in 2021. Since then, the numbers have continued to climb, driven by technological advancements and demand for accessible healthcare services.

Breaking down barriers to medical access

As virtual urgent care continues to reshape the healthcare landscape, it is important to recognize its impact on improving access to care. By offering a convenient and flexible solution, telehealth platforms are not only reducing geographical barriers but also ensuring that patients can receive the treatment they need without the long wait times typically associated with traditional healthcare settings.

Healthcare beyond the waiting room

One of the most transformative elements of virtual urgent care is its ability to eliminate physical and logistical barriers to treatment. For many Americans, particularly those in rural communities, traveling to a healthcare facility may involve hours on the road or unavailable providers. Telehealth platforms bypass these challenges, offering medical consultations with U.S.-licensed doctors within minutes, right from a smartphone or computer.

DrHouse, for instance, connects users to clinicians within 15 minutes or less via its mobile app. Its zero-cost initiative, launched in New York in 2022, offered free virtual visits and prescription renewals to all users—insured or not. This promotion emphasized the platform’s mission to remove economic and logistical barriers to healthcare. DrHouse telehealth solution is a key example of how technology is bridging gaps in healthcare access.

Similarly, Doctor On Demand enables patients to access medical professionals 24/7 without needing a membership. With competitive visit costs (as low as $0 with employer or insurance coverage), it has become a go-to service for those in need of immediate, non-emergency medical attention.

Affordability and flexibility

Traditionally, an urgent care visit in the U.S. can cost upwards of $200 without insurance. Virtual care offers a more economical alternative. Doctor On Demand’s urgent care visits typically start at $99, while DrHouse’s regular subscription-based care costs around $9.99 per month—with the added benefit of unlimited visits during promotional periods.

Importantly, many telehealth services operate independently of insurance, appealing to those in high-deductible plans or without coverage altogether. Employers are also increasingly integrating virtual care into their health benefit packages, recognizing its potential to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and manage long-term healthcare costs.

A broad spectrum of medical services

Virtual care is expanding to cover both common and chronic conditions. These platforms provide convenient, accessible healthcare from home, offering solutions for ongoing health issues and urgent treatment needs.

Urgent and everyday conditions: Modern telehealth platforms address a variety of health issues, including respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal concerns, dermatological conditions, and sexual health services.

Telehealth also covers allergies, skin reactions, and mental health issues, offering a broad range of solutions for various health needs. Services such as DrHouse and Doctor On Demand prescribe medications, including antibiotics, for pickup or delivery, ensuring convenience and high clinical standards.

Virtual primary care and chronic management: Beyond urgent care, virtual healthcare platforms now offer comprehensive primary care and chronic disease management programs. Doctor On Demand, for example, provides long-term treatment plans tailored to conditions like metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and diabetes, along with health coaching and follow-up assessments.

This expanded offering is part of a larger trend toward integrated virtual care, where patients can receive consistent, longitudinal care without having to step into a clinic. It’s a shift that empowers individuals to actively manage their health while reducing the burden on physical healthcare infrastructure.

What telehealth can’t do

Despite its many advantages, virtual urgent care has limits. It cannot replace emergency care. Symptoms such as chest pain or pressure, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, serious trauma (e.g., broken bones, deep lacerations), and suspected strokes or heart attacks, as these symptoms require immediate attention at a hospital or emergency room.

Additionally, telehealth providers do not prescribe controlled substances such as codeine or oxycodone due to regulatory restrictions and patient safety protocols.

Building trust through technology and security

Patient data security is paramount in virtual healthcare. Both companies are HIPAA-compliant, employing robust encryption and authentication protocols to protect sensitive health information.

Ease of access and user-friendly interfaces also contribute to growing user trust. These platforms provide patients with transparent billing and pricing, easy prescription access and refill requests, real-time symptom tracking and digital health records, and secure video and chat consultations with licensed professionals.

Interoperability with traditional healthcare systems is also improving. Many platforms now allow medical records from virtual visits to be shared with primary care physicians or specialists, ensuring continuity of care. This collaborative approach helps bridge the gap between digital and in-person treatment models.

Long-term outlook for virtual urgent care

Far from being a temporary fix, virtual urgent care is solidifying its role as a core component of healthcare delivery in the United States. The American Telemedicine Association projects that by 2027, up to 60% of non-emergency visits could be conducted virtually.

Telehealth is increasingly being embedded into healthcare plans by public institutions and private insurers. For example, Medicare and Medicaid have begun reimbursing for a broader range of telehealth services, and many private insurers now offer telehealth coverage as a standard benefit.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also being integrated into telehealth platforms, promising enhanced diagnostic accuracy, personalized treatment pathways, and predictive analytics that anticipate patient needs.

Addressing disparities and digital divide

The rise of telehealth highlights digital inequalities, with 15% of rural Americans lacking high-speed internet. Digital literacy challenges also limit adoption, especially among older and low-income populations.

To address these gaps, healthcare policy must invest in broadband, telehealth education, and standardized state licensing. The growth of 24/7 virtual urgent care is transforming healthcare by improving accessibility, easing emergency department pressure, and offering more preventive and primary care options.

Platforms like the DrHouse app and Doctor On Demand show how technology is making healthcare more inclusive. Continued investment in infrastructure and innovation is essential to fully realize the potential of virtual care.