Online Consultation: A Doctor Without an Appointment, 24/7

What is an online consultation?

Online consultation, or teleconsultation, lets you consult a doctor remotely (video or messaging) over the Internet. In France, a teleconsultation is a standard medical consultation, reimbursable by the French health insurance (Assurance Maladie) under certain conditions (following the coordinated care pathway). On Feeli, GPs and specialists are available 24/7 without an appointment. This fast, safe and confidential care improves access to healthcare and enables effective medical follow-up without unnecessary travel.

Which symptoms are suitable for an online consultation?

Online consultation on Feeli lets you quickly consult a general practitioner online for many symptoms, as long as a full physical examination is not essential. In practice, online consultation is suited to everyday situations requiring medical advice, a referral or a treatment. In addition, teleconsultation speeds up how quickly you are seen, without waiting for an in-office appointment. This remote option is therefore useful for saving time, avoiding unnecessary travel and getting suitable care quickly. Among the most common reasons for consultation are:

  •  Gastroenteritis ;

  •  Sore throat ;

  •  Cold ;

  •  Headaches ;

  •  Cystitis ;

  •  Unusual tiredness ;

  •  Back pain (muscular) ;

  •  Acne ;

  •  Moles ;

  •  Eczema ;

  •  Digestive disorders.

In these situations, the remote doctor can offer a suitable treatment and monitoring advice or, if necessary, refer you to an in-person consultation. Feeli also offers consultations with dermatologists for the diagnosis and treatment of minor skin problems. That said, teleconsultation does not replace urgent care in the event of severe signs: intense pain, neurological symptoms, respiratory distress, significant faintness… In this type of situation, contact the emergency services (call 15 for the SAMU in France, or 112 across the EU) or go to your nearest A&E.

How does an online consultation on Feeli work?

Feeli offers a simple procedure in a few steps:

  1.  Medical questionnaire: you enter your medical history (allergies, current treatments) and symptoms on a secure form.

  2.  Validation and payment: a doctor reviews your request. You then pay for the teleconsultation, either €39 for a GP or €55 for a dermatologist.

  3.  Online consultation: once your request is accepted, you can exchange with the doctor via secure instant messaging. For a consultation with a GP, most appointments start in under 2 hours, and in under 12 hours for a dermatologist. You can send photos or documents to help with the diagnosis.

  4.  Prescription and follow-up: if needed, the doctor issues an electronic prescription with a QR code, compliant with standards. This prescription is valid at pharmacies (France and the European Union) and accessible at any time from your secure patient area.

Finally, exchanges are fully secure: Feeli uses a platform certified as a health-data host (HDS) and compliant with the GDPR. Medical data is therefore confidential and protected by medical confidentiality. If needed, easily consult a doctor without an appointment on Feeli, available in under 2 hours.

Can you get a prescription online via teleconsultation?

Yes, it is entirely possible to get a prescription online following a teleconsultation, if the doctor considers it medically justified. Likewise, renewing prescriptions is possible remotely, which avoids unnecessary travel. Generally speaking, a teleconsultation should be regarded as a consultation in its own right: the practitioner assesses the symptoms, the health context and the relevance of a treatment before writing a suitable prescription. Teleconsultation thus speeds up care for many everyday reasons, whether treating a minor infection or relieving pain. Depending on the need, the doctor may prescribe medication, recommend additional tests, or refer patients to an in-person consultation if this seems necessary. Finally, the medical prescription is accessible at any time from a secure patient area. You then simply present it at the pharmacy to obtain your medication.

Online consultation: pricing and reimbursement (Ameli, complementary insurance)

Teleconsultations can only be reimbursed if you follow the coordinated care pathway, except in certain cases (regular doctor unavailable, emergency, direct access, etc.). In addition, teleconsultation providers must also comply with the professional best-practice standards set out by the HAS (French National Authority for Health). In practice, the French health insurance reimburses 70% of the agreed rate (sector 1), and complementary health insurance can cover the rest. On Feeli, the consultation is outside the coordinated care pathway; the costs are entirely borne by the patient and their complementary insurer. Finally, Feeli charges €39 for a consultation with a GP, and €55 for a consultation with a dermatologist.

Why choose teleconsultation on Feeli?

Feeli stands out for its experience, speed and reliability. All Feeli doctors are registered with the French Medical Council and specifically trained in teleconsultation. As well as following the code of medical ethics, they are committed to providing quality follow-up that complements in-office consultations. The main benefits of Feeli include:

  •  Security and confidentiality: your health data is hosted on a server certified as a health-data host (HDS) and protected under the GDPR.

  •  Responsive customer service: a French-speaking patient support team is available 7 days a week (average response time under 30 minutes) to help you with your requests.

  •  Availability 24/7: thanks to coordination between doctors across different time zones, Feeli ensures continuous cover (24/7). What's more, you don't need to book an appointment; a doctor is available at any time as soon as you make a request.

  •  Verified patient reviews: patient satisfaction is proven, particularly for the ability to offer fast appointments.

Lastly, in a context of specialist shortages, Feeli offers a concrete alternative for finding a dermatologist who accepts new patients. Teleconsultation on Feeli lets you get an appointment in under 12 hours, which is a valuable complementary solution.

The Feeli alternative for a fast online consultation (vs Doctolib and Qare)

Although Doctolib offers a video teleconsultation service, it is mainly an online appointment-booking platform. Depending on doctors' availability, it is sometimes possible to consult a healthcare professional remotely, without travelling. To use Doctolib's services, it is generally recommended to create a patient account, although this is not compulsory. Once the account is created, users can search for a practitioner or the desired specialty, then select an appointment slot. It is sometimes possible to choose the "video" option if the doctor offers teleconsultation. Before the scheduled consultation time, make sure you have a device fitted with a camera and a microphone, such as a smartphone, tablet or computer. As far as possible, also make sure your Internet connection is stable. Once the teleconsultation begins, you can discuss your symptoms and medical history and ask the practitioner your questions. You can also renew a prescription or receive medical advice. Qare also offers teleconsultation, 7 days a week from 6am to midnight; Feeli follows the same principle of secure care, with an emphasis on speed and a simplified experience via secure instant messaging. Feeli also lets you find a GP who accepts new patients via teleconsultation in under 2 hours.

How can you speak to a doctor online for free?

Many internet users search for a free doctor online 24/7, but the reality is different. Under the current conventional system, fully free care is not possible. That said, the French health insurance can cover 70% of the agreed rate (as explained above), with the remainder being the patient's responsibility (either directly or via complementary insurance). Some services or schemes, such as third-party payment (tiers-payant), can provide medical access without upfront payment, but these are exceptional cases. In practice, Feeli always charges for the teleconsultation, and this amount must be paid upfront by the patient. Complementary insurance can then reimburse some or all of these costs, but teleconsultation is never strictly "free".

Is Feeli's health data secure?

Online health services are strictly regulated: Feeli is committed to complying with French and European standards. For example, medicines prescribed online must be authorised, and certain prescriptions, notably opioids and controlled substances, are subject to strict conditions. Your medical data is also encrypted and processed end-to-end. Furthermore, like any medical act, teleconsultation on Feeli is subject to informed consent. At every stage, it is the doctor who judges whether online care is appropriate, as well as the safety conditions for prescribing a treatment. Finally, Feeli is not an emergency medical service: in a life-threatening emergency, contact the emergency services immediately (call 15 for the SAMU in France, or 112 across the EU) or go to your nearest A&E.