A cautionary tale: How online prescription nearly led to this woman's demise
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The convenience of modern technology allows us to do so many things online these days—shop, bank, and even get medical prescriptions without leaving home.
While these online prescription services have exploded in popularity, a woman’s personal experience showed there could be serious downsides and risks compared to an in-person doctor's visit.
Abbey Smith developed a urinary tract infection (UTI) in 2022 and decided to use the online service to help with her condition. Unfortunately, she was later rushed to the hospital and turned septic within a week.
For those unfamiliar, online prescription platforms allow patients to get assessed virtually and receive a prescription electronically if approved.
Some see it as an easy fix for minor health conditions. Prescriptions can then be sent directly to the patient via email.
Abbey found the website of the online service easy to use, and she provided the standard information about her infection. A fee of $17.50 was charged to her credit card, and the prescription was sent to her inbox.
She picked up the medication from her local chemist and noted how quick and easy the process was and how she would use it again.
As any person whose suffered a UTI knows, the pain and urinary discomfort tend to improve after starting antibiotics. But for some reason, her infection didn’t clear up. She went to work despite feeling sick, and by the end of the day, she noticed her lips were turning blue, and she couldn’t warm herself up.
Abbey thought something was wrong, so she went to a hospital emergency room.
‘After a wait of almost eight hours and a few blood tests, I was told my white blood cell count was fine and to head home,’ she recalled.
But 24 hours later, Abbey suffered from fever and hallucinations. Her housemate immediately rushed her back to the emergency room, where they discovered she was turning septic.
‘The infection had spread to my blood, and I was admitted to hospital on the spot,’ she added.
After being admitted and treated with different antibiotics for four days, Abbey finally started recovering. The doctors explained to her what went wrong.
‘Before I was discharged, a doctor explained the bug in my system was E. coli, a common cause of UTIs resistant to the antibiotic I was given. No wonder my infection hadn't cleared up after taking it,’ she shared.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) said that while online script services are convenient, it is still advisable to consult a doctor face-to-face.
‘If a patient has a health issue which requires follow-up, like a complicated UTI, they'll get safe care from a GP who knows their medical history,’ RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins stated.
She continued: ‘Face-to-face is always the best option as there are clinical issues that are hard to spot even via Telehealth service.’
Dr Higgins also noted that it also be better to use a telehealth service with your usual healthcare provider. ‘You're better off receiving telehealth from the GP you usually see or another at the same clinic who can access your medical history and coordinate with services in your area,’ she explained.
As for Abbey, she admitted that she won’t use an online prescription service again. ‘These days, if I'm feeling unwell, I book into my local GP and take the time to go over my medical history,’ she shared.
‘Online scripts may work in many cases, but I never want to experience what I went through again,’ she added.
While online services work for some minor issues, Abbey’s cautionary tale underscores the value of an ongoing relationship with a doctor who knows your medical history.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness, it is highly recommended that you schedule an appointment with your general practitioner (GP) for a thorough medical checkup.
What do you think of Abbey’s experience, members? Have you had any experiences with online script services? Share them in the comments below!
While these online prescription services have exploded in popularity, a woman’s personal experience showed there could be serious downsides and risks compared to an in-person doctor's visit.
Abbey Smith developed a urinary tract infection (UTI) in 2022 and decided to use the online service to help with her condition. Unfortunately, she was later rushed to the hospital and turned septic within a week.
For those unfamiliar, online prescription platforms allow patients to get assessed virtually and receive a prescription electronically if approved.
Abbey Smith shared her personal experience with an online prescription service. Credit: Mark Fletcher-Brown/Unsplash
Some see it as an easy fix for minor health conditions. Prescriptions can then be sent directly to the patient via email.
Abbey found the website of the online service easy to use, and she provided the standard information about her infection. A fee of $17.50 was charged to her credit card, and the prescription was sent to her inbox.
She picked up the medication from her local chemist and noted how quick and easy the process was and how she would use it again.
As any person whose suffered a UTI knows, the pain and urinary discomfort tend to improve after starting antibiotics. But for some reason, her infection didn’t clear up. She went to work despite feeling sick, and by the end of the day, she noticed her lips were turning blue, and she couldn’t warm herself up.
Abbey thought something was wrong, so she went to a hospital emergency room.
‘After a wait of almost eight hours and a few blood tests, I was told my white blood cell count was fine and to head home,’ she recalled.
But 24 hours later, Abbey suffered from fever and hallucinations. Her housemate immediately rushed her back to the emergency room, where they discovered she was turning septic.
‘The infection had spread to my blood, and I was admitted to hospital on the spot,’ she added.
After being admitted and treated with different antibiotics for four days, Abbey finally started recovering. The doctors explained to her what went wrong.
‘Before I was discharged, a doctor explained the bug in my system was E. coli, a common cause of UTIs resistant to the antibiotic I was given. No wonder my infection hadn't cleared up after taking it,’ she shared.
A doctor in the hospital explained that the bacteria in her system was resistant to the antibiotic she was initially prescribed. Credit: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) said that while online script services are convenient, it is still advisable to consult a doctor face-to-face.
‘If a patient has a health issue which requires follow-up, like a complicated UTI, they'll get safe care from a GP who knows their medical history,’ RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins stated.
She continued: ‘Face-to-face is always the best option as there are clinical issues that are hard to spot even via Telehealth service.’
Dr Higgins also noted that it also be better to use a telehealth service with your usual healthcare provider. ‘You're better off receiving telehealth from the GP you usually see or another at the same clinic who can access your medical history and coordinate with services in your area,’ she explained.
As for Abbey, she admitted that she won’t use an online prescription service again. ‘These days, if I'm feeling unwell, I book into my local GP and take the time to go over my medical history,’ she shared.
‘Online scripts may work in many cases, but I never want to experience what I went through again,’ she added.
While online services work for some minor issues, Abbey’s cautionary tale underscores the value of an ongoing relationship with a doctor who knows your medical history.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness, it is highly recommended that you schedule an appointment with your general practitioner (GP) for a thorough medical checkup.
What do you think of Abbey’s experience, members? Have you had any experiences with online script services? Share them in the comments below!
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