The 10 Top-Rated Online Doctors in Missouri in 2023

Telehealth and telemedicine have been interchangeably used in the state of Missouri to refer to the act of delivering health care services for purposes of assessment, care management, consultation, diagnosis, education, self-care management of a patient, and treatment through the use of information and communication technologies between a patient at the originating site and provider at the distant site.

Along with video conferencing and remote patient monitoring, asynchronous store-and-forward technology has recently been recognized as telehealth or telemedicine in the state. 

Although there is no distinct difference between telehealth and telemedicine, the exchange of medical information regarding a patient’s health status between different locations only falls under the category of telehealth. 

Any location can be considered a valid originating site as long as it is within state boundaries and any place where the health care provider is situated is a legitimate distant site. 

Missouri’s reimbursement policies provide coverage for live videoconferencing and store-and-forward and remote patient monitoring. However, the latter two telemedicine modalities are only reimbursable under certain circumstances, discussed in the state reimbursement policy section below.

Explore telemedicine and get to know the top-rated online doctors in Missouri!

Unmatched Feature of Telemedicine in Missouri

Missouri has enacted the Justice for Survivors Act, which includes establishing a telehealth network for victims of sexual offenses. This provides for telehealth forensic examinations conducted by trained health care providers such as sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE). 

Programs under the telehealth network include training for telehealth technology when performing live examinations for the victims. Consultation services, guidance, mentoring, and technical assistance will also be provided for other medical practitioners interested in joining the program. 

All information concerning the number of forensic examinations of victims performed at the hospital, of denied requests for such examination and the reason behind the denial, of evidentiary collection kits, submitted, and of medical providers who made use of the training and telehealth services under the network is to be made publicly available come 2022. 

This statewide telehealth network program allows sexual offense victims to gain more access to services and trained medical professionals who can help them. 

Missouri State Telemedicine Laws and Policies

Who can practice telemedicine in Missouri?

All health care providers licensed in Missouri are authorized to engage in telemedicine practice within the confines of their scope of practice. The following are recognized as health care providers in the state of Missouri:

• Chiropractors
• Dentists
• Health maintenance organizations
• Hospitals
• Licensed practical nurses
• Long-term care facilities
• Optometrists
• Pharmacists
• Physical Therapists
• Physicians
• Physicians-in-training
• Podiatrists
• Psychologists
• Registered nurses

All other medical practitioners registered and licensed by their respective boards and who render any form of health care service are given the privilege to expand their practice into telehealth and telemedicine. 

Out-of-State Providers

Out-of-state providers who intend to engage in telemedicine practice with patients in Missouri must hold a full license to practice medicine in the Cave State. They shall also subject themselves to the regulation and disciplinary actions of the boards governing their profession. 

Missouri strictly requires a state-issued license before any form of health care service can be rendered by a provider licensed in another state. This is one of the reasons why Missouri opted not to enact any legislation or take any action to seal its membership in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. 

Health care providers from other states who are exempt from the license requirement are those providing:

• Episodic consultations as requested by a physician licensed in the state
• Informal consultations within a non-contractual relationship on an irregular or infrequent basis and without the expectation of any form of compensation
• Free medical assistance during an emergency or disaster

EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact

The EMS Compact, as it is more commonly referred to, gives EMS personnel from member states immediate legal recognition by EMS offices in other compact states. The Commission governs the Commission tasked to regulate cross-border activities while preserving each member state’s sovereign immunity. The Compact also maintains a national coordinated database and information-sharing systems accessible to state EMS officials.  

Aside from enacting the model legislation, states must make use of an FBI compliant background check that integrates biometric data, come up with a process on receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints, and share their EMS personnel licensure information to all member states of the Compact which the state of Missouri has diligently complied with.

Qualified licensed EMS personnel who are 18 years old and above can render services on a short and intermittent basis and under authorized circumstances in all member state jurisdictions. This includes their duty to assist beyond state boundaries and cover large-scale unplanned situations like wildland fire as well as large-scale planned events like concerts.  

In the Compact, the EMS personnel consists of EMTs, advanced-EMT, and paramedics only, who a physician medical director supervises. EMS agencies and employers are not extended the same privilege. The state of Missouri is the sixteenth state to sign the REPLICA legislation into law. It currently has 21 active member states. 

Nurse Licensure Compact 

Through the state’s membership in the Nurse Licensure Compact, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses can provide health care services to patients located in other member states without securing individual licenses from the states they will be practicing. This also includes practice via telenursing and distance education. 

States that have enacted NLC legislation, like Missouri, automatically issues a compact license. This license already carries the privilege to practice in multiple states that have enacted their respective NLC legislations. There is no separate application for it; practitioners only have to maintain their legal residency in the compact state that issued the multi-state license. 

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are not covered under the Compact and must obtain individual licenses from different state nursing boards where they plan to expand their practice. An APRN Compact was recently adopted last August 12, 2020. It will only take effect once it reaches seven members. Currently, only one state has enacted the compact legislation. The state of Missouri has not yet taken any action on the matter as of this date. 

Physical Therapy Compact

The main goal of this Compact is to increase patient access to physical therapy services by facilitating the mobility of physical therapists and physical therapy assistants across state boundaries, allowing them to practice in multiple states. Telehealth practitioners, travel providers, and employees of multi-state facilities are the groups that benefit the most from the Compact. 

Missouri is an active member of the Physical Therapy Compact. It has been accepting applications and issuing compact privileges to qualified practitioners from other member states for more than five years already. Similarly, its licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are also extended the same privilege by other Compact states. 

The coordinated flow of this system is made possible through the regulations implemented by the PT Compact Commission, which is composed of representatives from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy – FSBPT, and delegates from member states. 

For PTs and PTAs to enjoy the privilege granted under the Compact, they must declare a member state as their home state and maintain residence therein. If they change their home state, they must inform the Commission within 30 days from transferring. It must be noted that only member states can benefit from the Compact. Once the practitioner changes residence to a non-member state, all Compact privileges are terminated. 

Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact

On June 1, 2018, Missouri became the sixth state to enact the PSYPACT legislation sealing its membership with the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. 

Under the Compact, licensed psychologists from other participating states are given the privilege to practice in other PSYPACT states either in-person or through telepsychology. Aside from being a full and unrestricted license holder, interested practitioners must further comply with other sets of credentials. Those who want to practice in-person must acquire a Temporary Authorization to Practice (TAP) from the PSYPACT Commission and an ASPPB Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC). 

For telepsychology, the health care professional must obtain an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) from the PSYPACT Commission and an E. Passport from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). To qualify for an E. Passport, the applicant must have a doctoral degree from a duly accredited institution by the American Psychological Association (APA) or ASPPB, no record of any disciplinary action, passed the Examination for Professional Practice, and complied with the annual 3-hour mandatory continuing education on the use of technology in practice. 

The psychologist granted the privilege to practice under this Compact shall limit their practice according to the scope allowed in the receiving or distant state. 

Standard of Care

The first thing that health care practitioners must observe when providing telemedicine services is the standard of care. It must follow the standard that is offered in in-person services. For obligations and responsibilities to arise in the medical setup, a physician-patient relationship must exist. 

Physician-patient relationships can be established via telemedicine under the following conditions: 

• An in-person encounter is dispensable basing on the patient’s medical case and circumstances. 
• The medical interview and physical examination must be conducted to replicate that in an in-person setup. 
• The patient’s medical history must be thoroughly reviewed to find relevant information affecting the patient’s diagnosis and treatment. 
• Sufficient and accurate information that can aid the provider in coming up with an informed diagnosis can be gathered through telemedicine technology. 
• Standards of practice and practice guidelines must be followed. 

Online or telephone questionnaires do not meet the required standard of care, and authorities do not recommend using this type of instrument to come up with a diagnosis and provide treatment to patients. 

Informed Consent

Before a health care provider can render telemedicine services, they must obtain the patient’s informed consent first. The patient should know the potential risks of utilizing telehealth or telemedicine technology and understand patient health information confidentiality. 

The requirement of informed consent is emphasized in collaborative care arrangements. All telehealth providers, including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), must obtain the same from the patient, the patient’s guardian, or any other person authorized to make medical decisions. 

In the school setup, the parent or guardian shall provide the consent or authorization required before any telehealth services can be rendered to the child at school. 

All consent obtained and the form by which it was given, whether verbal or written, must be documented in the patient’s medical record. 

Confidentiality

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has set these information security standards in telehealth:

• Privacy Standards apply to Individually Identifiable Health Information
• Security Standards pertain to Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information
• Transactions and Code Sets: Standards for Electronic Transactions

These are the same standards observed in the state of Missouri when it comes to all health care services rendered via telemedicine means, along with other federal and state laws applicable to the handling of confidential patient health information. The state also follows the National Provider Identifier, a standard unique health identifier for healthcare providers. 

All covered state entities and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, a hybrid covered entity, must strictly comply with the standards outlined in the HIPAA. 

E-prescription

Before prescribing or dispensing medications, the prescriber must make sure that the two prerequisites are complied with. First, an examination sufficient to meet the standard of care mandated by law must be conducted by the provider. Second, a physician-patient relationship must be established. 

When these two have been complied with, the prescribing provider must also see to it that:

• All patient medications are noted to avoid any contraindications or drug interactions. 
• The patient has been informed of all possible treatment options and their benefits, and the associated risks. 
• The therapeutic outcome of the applied treatment is properly assessed through follow-up checks. 
• Electronic prescriptions and other relevant medical information are made available to the patient and other healthcare providers with their consent. 

There are instances when the physician does not need to comply with these requirements personally. A physician’s designee can be responsible for obtaining the required medical history, conducting the physical examination, and identifying all underlying conditions and medications if the patient is being treated:

• Under a collaborative practice agreement
• Through home health services by a home health agency
• Under a hospice program
• At a hospital
• In conjunction with a licensed assistant physician or physician assistant 
• In consultation with another physician who has an established relationship with the patient and who agreed to supervise the treatment and medications of the patient
• On-call or cross-coverage situations

In the case of collaborative practice arrangements, telephone evaluations may be considered sufficient for prescribing controlled substances. The prescription should be issued by a physician, physician’s on-call designee, assistant physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse.  An ongoing established physician-patient relationship must be present, and the treatment administered should be within the physician’s scope of practice of the physician. It must be noted that online questionnaires are strictly not valid forms of conducting a medical evaluation when prescribing controlled substances or any other types of medications.  

All information stated on the electronic prescription must be reflected on the patient’s medical record. 

State Reimbursement Policy

Missouri is one of the few US states that reimburse three recognized telemedicine modalities: live videoconferencing, store-and-forward, and remote patient monitoring. This revision in the state’s reimbursement policy has led Missourians to greatly consider using telehealth for medical concerns that would not necessarily require an in-person consultation without worrying if their health insurance would still cover them. 

Telehealth and telemedicine services shall be covered to the same extent and reimbursed at a rate not lower than that applied to in-person services. The reimbursement rate for medical services rendered by a health care provider at a distant site is equivalent to the prevailing fee schedule. Through the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan, state employees and retirees enjoy the same benefits and coverage for medical services via telemedicine. 

If the standard of care provided in the delivery of telehealth services to the patient does not meet the standard as when the same services are rendered in-person, the Department of Social Services has the right to deny reimbursement for such services. 

Originating and distant sites shall also be considered when it comes to reimbursing this type of service.  A patient’s home is an acceptable originating site. There is no minimum distance requirement between the two sites before being adjudged as eligible for reimbursement. There are also no restrictions on what can be considered a valid originating site as long as the quality of the health care service rendered is not compromised.  

A health care provider can bill for both originating and distant sites as long as they are not situated in the same facility, even if they cover the same service date. Generally, an onsite clinical staff on the originating site is not required. However, when the health care provider treating the patient is not at the originating site and has not personally encountered the patient face-to-face in a clinical setting, the presence of clinical staff at the originating site cannot be dispensed with. 

What services are reimbursed in the State of Missouri?

By HealthNet – MO Medicaid:

•   Live Video
•   Store-and-Forward
•   Remote Patient Monitoring

X   Stand-alone or combination of Audio-only Telephone Calls, E-mail, Instant Messaging, or Facsimile

Live Video

Almost all telemedicine services that are conducted through live video conferencing are covered and reimbursed under the program. Most codes are for home health, dentistry, community psych rehab programs, and comprehensive substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation (CSTAR) medication services. 

Store-and-Forward 

Reimbursed services rendered via asynchronous store-and-forward are limited to the following: 

• Burn care
• Dermatology
• Dental services requiring a diagnosis
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Maternal-fetal medicine ultrasounds
• Ophthalmology
• Optometry
• Orthopedics
• Wound care

The delivery of health care services through this modality must be necessary to properly facilitate the overall telehealth encounter. 

Remote Patient Monitoring

Home telemonitoring services or remote patient monitoring services are considered reimbursable if the patient’s health data are transmitted to a Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC)-accredited health call center and shared with the insured patient’s physician. 

However, coverage of RPM services depends on the subject medical condition of the patient. The program only recognizes an exclusive list of eligible conditions. These are:

• Asthma
• Cancer
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• Mental illness 
• Myocardial infarction
• Pregnancy
• Serious emotional disturbance
• Stroke

The diagnosis of the insured patient with any of the medical conditions listed does not automatically make their case reimbursable. At least two of these risk factors must also be present in the insured patient’s medical case:

• Absent or limited informal support systems 
• At least two hospitalizations within the immediately preceding year
• Care access challenges
• Consistent missed health care appointments 
• Documented history of falls six months before the initiation of the RPM services
• Living alone or without company for long periods
• Poor adherence to ordered medication regimens based on documented history
• Recurrent trips and admissions to emergency departments

Aside from the regular monitoring of the patient’s vitals, some instances would warrant a Personal Emergency Response Systems. This system is connected to a response center that will dispatch personnel once it is activated. It only accommodates patients who have a high risk of being institutionalized, live alone, undergo extensive routine supervision, or have no caregiver or company.

To continue receiving reimbursements for the services rendered under this modality, it must be shown cost-effective. The department can terminate providing payment if proven otherwise. 

By Private Payer or Other Health Care Plan Providers:

If the policy provides coverage for in-person services, the insurance company is mandated likewise to cover similar services on the same basis when rendered through telehealth modalities. They cannot deny reimbursement because the consultation, diagnosis, and treatment were given in a telehealth encounter. 

Although they are mandated to cover telehealth services, insurance companies can limit the coverage to approved in-network health care providers only. Likewise, private health care service providers are not obligated to pay for site origination fees or any provision costs to the consulting or telehealth provider. 

As for store-and-forward services, the reimbursement rate for these telehealth services may be limited to what it may have cost the patient were the services rendered in-person. Private payers cannot be obliged to pay the excess on the schedule of fees for in-person services. 

Insured members are assured of being reimbursed for telehealth services under the service parity law, but as of this date, state reimbursement policies still do not provide for parity when it comes to payment. 

Who can avail of these reimbursements?

All fully licensed health care providers in the state of Missouri who render telehealth services practicing within the scope of their practice can avail of the reimbursements provided for under state policies. To be eligible, they should be enrolled as an MO Healthnet or MHD provider. 

When a rural health center serves as an originating site, their non-RHC provider number must be used for billing purposes to be reimbursed for the facility fee. The provider number used for billing will not affect its reimbursement eligibility when serving as a distant site. The same is also true for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).  

Providers, pharmacies, and other institutions located outside Missouri are also eligible for reimbursement as long as they are within US territories.   

Public Health Emergency (PHE)

In public health emergencies, including the current Covid-19 pandemic, state officials, health agencies, and regulatory boards convene to develop adjustments and new issuances to better cope with the circumstances. The objective is to make health care more accessible to Missourians by providing flexible and alternative ways to deliver these services. The state of Missouri has made the following temporary changes in its rules and regulations concerning telehealthcare in the state:

• Out-of-state physicians and surgeons who are holders of active and unrestricted licenses may render health care services to residents of Missouri through telehealth means and even in-person. 
• Physical exams can be excluded from the service if the patient’s medical case can be properly diagnosed and treated without conducting the same. 
• Documentation requirements are temporarily waived. 
• The 75-mile maximum distance rule between an advanced practice registered nurse and collaborating physician is also temporarily waived during a public health emergency. 
• The directors and commissioners of state departments and offices are given authority to temporarily suspend or waive any rule that would hinder the public’s delivery of health care services. 

The 10 Top-rated Online Doctors and Telemedicine Providers in Missouri

Several Missourians suffer from medical conditions that require close monitoring, and some would need to see a doctor once in a while. Similarly, parents will have to check with a pediatrician regarding their child’s symptoms. However, most of them do not have the luxury of time to book and wait for an appointment at the doctor’s office—and even more so in a pandemic! Missourians no longer have to sacrifice their time, convenience, and the quality of health care they receive by availing of telehealth and telemedicine services from these best online doctors in the state: 

24/7 Healthcare

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Urgent Care Specialists, Emergency Room Doctors, Nurse Practitioners
•   Insurance

Contact-A-Doc is the TeleVisits platform of 24/7 Healthcare. They only accommodate patients who:

• Are seven to seventy years of age
• Have been ill for less than a week in case of adults and less than two days in case of children
• Have fevers of not higher than 101°F for children and 103°F for adults

The various services they offer are categorized into the following:

• Non-emergencies: acute injury, allergies, bronchitis, colds, flu, pink eye, poison ivy, respiratory infection, sinus problems, urinary tract infection
• Pediatric questions: All pediatric medical cases can be addressed if they fall in the patient’s qualifications. 
• Prescription: Except for DEA-controlled substances, their doctors can issue short-term prescriptions for blood pressure medication, diabetes medication, inhalers, muscle relaxants, and other medications such as Amoxicillin, Bactrim DS, Cipro, Flonase Nasal Spray, Pyridium, and Tessalon Perles, to name a few. 
• Specialist referral: Health care providers at Contact-A-Doc can advise what kind of specialist you need to see. 
• Travel: Any medical questions related to your travel can be answered by their providers.

If the physician virtually attending to you determines that you may need to be seen in person, they will contact the medical facility you will be going to to be updated on your status. They also make follow-up calls days after your virtual appointment to check on you. 

Other services they offer include marijuana physician certification, physicals, work or school excuses, laboratory tests and imaging orders, prescription refills, and medication price comparison.

Locations/Cities Served: ​Saint Louis, ​Creve Coeur

Phelps Health 

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board-Certified Physicians, Fetal Medicine Physician, Specialists 
•   Insurance

Telehealth Visits are available at Phelps Health for the following minor illnesses and injuries:

• Allergies
• Bug bites
• Diarrhea
• Ear infections
• Headaches
• Minor bruises and cuts
• Sinus infections
• Sore throat
• Stings
• Urinary tract infections

Most of the providers at Phelps Health Medical Group participate in this program. If you already have an existing provider, you can directly contact their office to see if you can book a virtual appointment. 

Specialists from the following centers and partners have also expanded their practice into telemedicine:

• Delbert Day Cancer Institute: Video visits with care providers at Phelps Health cancer institute are conducted via Google Duo. 
• TeleNeurology SOC Telemed: Both emergency and inpatient neurological consultations can be conducted through videoconferencing technology. 
• SSM Health’s Maternal and Fetal Care Center: This is ideal for women who need high-risk pregnancy care. With telemedicine technology, consultations and ultrasounds can be reviewed by a physician from a distant location. This is performed with the help of a sonographer who is physically with the patient while the doctor can access the images in real-time. 

Patients can open an account with Phelps Health MyChart to easily access telehealth visits through Google Play or the App Store. 

Locations/Cities Served: 

Midwest Institute for Addiction

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Physicians
•   Insurance

If you are looking for Virtual Rehab, MIA offers quality treatment services and other telemedicine programs such as medical and psychiatric consultations. They accept individuals who are struggling with alcohol, opiates, and other mood-altering substance abuse and dependency. 

MIA’s Virtual Rehabilitation Telemedicine or VRTM uses a holistic approach, including behavioral and medical aspects, in treating their clients. The program is open to all who cannot undergo traditional modes of treatment because of life and health circumstances.  

It includes educating patients about their condition, showing different coping mechanisms, and providing support systems. Another aspect of the program is the outpatient substance abuse medication management, wherein the provider prescribes medications and conducts ongoing medical monitoring to assist clients on their journey to sobriety and detoxification. 

Treatment plans are tailored to clients’ needs, considering that the most effective in terms of available resources in the community is integrated into the plan. Initial in-person consultations and regular face-to-face visits may be required before any scheduled drugs such as Bunivail, Suboxone, Subutex, and Zubsolv may be prescribed in compliance with state laws. 

Interested individuals may avail of the free consultation to see if VRTM will work. 

Locations/Cities Served: 

LifeStance Health 

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Behavioral Health Professionals
•   Insurance

Advent Behavioral Care is now known as LifeStance Health. Existing clients of all ages can avail themselves of their telehealth services. This option isn’t available to new patients because most providers schedule only follow-up appointments. Some of the conditions they commonly treat through this modality are as follows:

• Addiction, Substance Abuse, and Withdrawal
• Adjustment Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders: agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic attacks, phobias issues, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), separation anxiety, social anxiety disorder, stress disorder
• Cognitive Disorders: amnestic disorder, Alzheimer’s, delirium, dementia
• Dissociative Disorders: depersonalization disorder, dissociative amnesia, dissociative identity disorders
• Eating Disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa
• Gender Dysmorphia: exaggerated sexual interest, gender identity disorder, inability to perform, inability to reach an orgasm, painful sexual intercourse, strong repulsion of sexual activity
• Impulse Control Disorders: intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania, gambling, trichotillomania, pyromania
• Mood Disorders: bipolar disorder I & II, cyclothymic disorder, depression, dysthymic disorder
• Personality Disorders: anti-social personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder
• Psychotic Disorders: delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia
• Sleep Disorders: dyssomnia, hypersomnia, insomnia, narcolepsy, nightmare disorder, sleep terror disorder, sleepwalking disorder
• Somatoform Disorders: body dysmorphic disorder, conversion disorder, hypochondriasis, pain disorder

Whether telehealth visits will work for the patient’s medical care depends on the doctor, and they can discuss options, schedules, and routines that will work for the patient. 

Locations/Cities Served: 

CoxHealth

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Physicians and Specialists
•   Insurance

Patients aged two years old and above looking for immediate care for acute illnesses may schedule an on-demand virtual visit. You will be connected with the available provider once a request has been submitted. A parent or guardian must accompany minors during the telehealth visit. Generally, the minimum age requirement is two years old, but this may not always be the case depending on the subject’s medical condition. The online provider has the discretion to refer the patient to a health care facility. 

Patients with a CoxHealth primary care provider looking for a specialist and suffering from chronic conditions should book for primary and specialty care directly with their provider’s office. Unlike on-demand virtual visits, this option is available to patients of all ages. 

Providers in both types of virtual visits may issue a prescription except pain medications if medically necessary and have them electronically transmitted to the patient’s chosen pharmacy. 

They also offer virtual school clinics to treat students who are experiencing minor conditions and illnesses. Virtual visits on-demand are conducted using the VidyoConnect app, which is available for download from Google Play and App Store, while for primary and specialty care, patients need to download Microsoft Teams on their device. 

Locations/Cities Served: 

Missouri Green Doctors

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Doctors
•   Insurance

The main service offered at Missouri Green Doctors is evaluating patients who seek recommendations for their medical marijuana card certification. Most of the patients they have are those who:

• No longer have a primary physician to conduct the evaluation
• Have a physician that refuses to issue them a medical marijuana certification
• Have a physician with whom they are not comfortable consulting about medical marijuana with

As stated in the Missouri Constitution, a patient must be suffering from any of the following qualifying medical conditions to become a holder of a medical marijuana card legally:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Autism
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic medical condition wherein medical use of marijuana is a safer alternative than other medications that may cause physical or psychological dependence
• Crohn’s disease
• Debilitating psychiatric disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Huntington’s disease
• Immune deficiency syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neuropathies
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures
• Sickle cell anemia
• Terminal illness
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Unresponsive to treat intractable migraines
• Wasting syndrome 

Other chronic and debilitating medical conditions may be considered qualifying conditions based on the physician’s professional judgment. Physicians at Missouri Green Doctors are trained and educated about the laws surrounding the medical use of marijuana. Patients can be sure that they are appropriately evaluated for such a purpose. 

Locations/Cities Served: 

Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Physicians
•   Insurance

Adults and kids one-year-old and above are accommodated virtually by Mercy’s health care providers for any of the following illnesses and injuries:

• Allergies
• Asthma attacks
• Back pain
• Chest colds
• Cold sores
• Diarrhea
• Eye infection
• Fever 
• Flu
• Headache
• Laryngitis
• Minor animal or insect bites
• Neck pain
• Poison sumac
• Sinus infections
• Skin infection
• Sore throat
• Sunburn
• Urinary problems
• Vomiting
• Wheezing

All Mercy doctors providing telehealth services have undergone training with the technology, tools, and other devices used in telemedicine encounters so that the quality of their service will meet the same standard as what they offer in-person. 

Patients can access an after-visit summary (AVS) through the Mercy-GoHealth online patient portal. All medications except narcotics may be electronically issued to the patient or transmitted directly to their preferred pharmacy. 

The bigger program they have is Mercy Virtual, the command center for the nation’s largest single-hub telemedicine center. Most of its programs and services are designed for medical facilities and institutions to serve their patients better. It hosts various telehealth services such as Nurse on Call, vAlert, vConsult, vEngagement, vKids, vMentalWellness, vSepsis, vSitter, and vStroke. 

Locations/Cities Served: Springfield, St. Louis

Raintree Medical 

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Physicians
•   Insurance

Raintree Urgent Care has started offering telehealth video visits to all individuals located in Missouri. If you are experiencing symptoms or conditions, you can request a video telehealth appointment with one of their providers:

• Allergies
• Bacterial vaginosis
• Bronchitis
• Common cold
• Erectile dysfunction
• High cholesterol
• High or low blood pressure
• Migraines
• Nasal congestion
• Pink eye
• Rashes
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
• Sinusitis
• Smoking cessation
• Snoring
• Sore throat
• Trichomoniasis
• Upper respiratory infection

Aside from urgent care, their clinics and centers also offer primary care and chiropractic care. The online provider can refer you for an in-person visit when they determine that telehealth cannot appropriately address your medical concern. Diagnostic laboratory tests and physical exams are also available onsite. 

Providers at Raintree issue prescriptions for chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, and yeast infection. However, they do not provide prescriptions involving controlled substances. 

Pregnant individuals and children below 11 years of age cannot be seen via telehealth means. Telehealth is also not appropriate for conditions such as excessive nausea and vomiting, fractures, poisoning, lacerations, and those that are life or limb-threatening. 

Locations/Cities Served: Lee’s Summit, Kansas City

Discover Vision Centers

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board Certified Ophthalmologists and Optometrists
•   Insurance

Non-urgent appointments with an eye doctor can be completed virtually with Discover Vision. The eye is a sensitive organ that requires delicate examination and tools for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. The clinic’s eye doctors specialize in cataract, diabetic eye, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases. 

There are, however, some conditions that can be addressed and procedures that can be conducted virtually. These are:

• Cataract pre-screening
• Dry eye conditions
• Eye exams
• Eye problems 
• Lasik/SMILE consults
• Ophthalmology

Telehealth visits at Discover Vision can either be conducted via video or telephone calls. It all depends on the available device and if the patient has access to the internet. 

One can also order contact lenses online on their website. They have a catalog of contacts for one-day use, astigmatism, presbyopia, multifocal, and many others. You may be requested to present a medical prescription before purchasing. The contacts can be shipped directly to your given address. 

Their physicians also do eye procedures at their clinics located in various locations in Missouri. They have offices in Raymore, Lee’s Summit, Kansas City, Harrisonville, and Blue Springs. 

Locations/Cities Served: 

Carbon Health 

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•   Prescription
•   HIPAA Compliant
•   Board-Certified Physicians, Mental Health Doctors, and Pediatricians
•   Insurance

Carbon Health has locations and serves several states in the country, including Missouri. It provides three virtual options for residents of these states:

• Everyday Care: This covers virtual urgent care and primary care for those experiencing minor bronchitis symptoms, cold, cough, flu, rash, sexually transmitted diseases, sinus infection, sore throat, and urinary tract infection. 
• Virtual Mental Health: Treatment and therapy for alcohol use, anxiety, depression, general mental health concerns, smoking cessation, stress, and weight loss, as well as initial intervention visits, behavioral health, and mental health follow-up care provided by Carbon’s psychologists and psychiatrists remotely.  
• Virtual Pediatrics: Parents or guardians of infants and children who have or experience asthma, bug bites, cold, flu symptoms, cough, croup, diaper rash, diarrhea, fever, insect bites, pink eye, rash, sore throat, and vomiting can access certified pediatricians on the same day they booked an appointment. 

Online consultations with a nutritionist will soon be made available to individuals who seek to have a nutritional plan formulated according to their health needs and lifestyle. 

The Carbon Health app is available in both Google Play and App Store. It allows patients to schedule medical appointments, communicate with a telehealth provider, ask questions related to their treatment, access medical records and test results, request prescription refills, or connect it with Apple Health to easily share vitals. 

Locations/Cities Served: Aspiria, Leawood

Telemedicine Resources in Missouri

States implement different regulations on telemedicine as they deem proper for the needs of their constituents. Although federal laws govern telemedicine and medical practice and set the standard for individual states to follow, they are still given the liberty to formulate their policies under these national laws. The state of Missouri enforces its own rules over individuals availing of telemedicine services, health care professionals rendering them whether in or out-of-state, and other medical agencies involved in this type of practice in the state. 

To know more, check out the following reliable telemedicine resources in Missouri: 

• Missouri Telehealth Network: This website is run by the School of Medicine of the University of Missouri. It mainly offers training to start-up telemedicine programs and technical assistance to telehealth providers. Webinars, toolkits, scripts, reimbursement guides, and other educational resources are also available to everyone visiting their page. 

• Heartland Telehealth Resource Center: Through telehealth and telemedicine, HeartlandTRC aims to increase the health care access of Americans from rural areas. It provides articles, videos, webinars, and eNewsletters to help both beginners and experienced telehealth users go through their encounters smoothly and keep them informed on the latest news about telemedicine. They also have Project ECHO, which allows primary care clinicians to render specialty care to patients by collaborating with a team of specialists through videoconferencing. They offer free services such as phone assistance or speaking engagements in conferences and paid assessments, project and network management, and onsite technology assessment by an IT specialist. 

• Center for Connected Health Policy – MO: The CCHP is a program of the Public Health Institute that provides a wide range of telehealth information from definitions, professional requirements, Medicaid program, reimbursement policies, private payer laws, licensure compacts, cross-state licensing, online prescribing, and other miscellaneous matters on the topic. All of these data are summarized and categorized for easy reading and better understanding. External links are provided for those who want to go through the entire document or source. Readers can also ask policy experts either through phone or e-mail or through their consultation services for any questions on telemedicine. 

• MO HealthNet: This is Missouri’s Medicaid program that publishes various manuals on coverage and reimbursement such as the Home Health Manual, Community Psych Rehab Program Manual, Dental Manual, and CSTAR Manual that educates its readers on the benefits they are entitled to, requirements for availing the same, and limitations. This contains codes that can serve as guides for practitioners in billing telehealth services. Other informational resources about health care plans and public health can also be accessed on their website.