When you schedule a primary care visit, you can select from a variety of board-certified providers. They include doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. 

All providers are board-certified and licensed to practice in your state, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced clinical training and education, and either a Master’s or Doctoral degree in nursing. They've passed a National Board Certification exam and are licensed. They can perform exams, diagnose, treat, order and interpret tests.

Physican assistants have a bachelor’s degree and have graduated from a physician assistant program. They've passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and are licensed to perform exams, diagnose, treat, order and interpret tests.

Your first appointment with your doctor is a great opportunity to get to know one another. You can expect to:   

• Talk about your current health concerns and goals, taking into account your personal and family health history.
  
  
• Your provider may request that you provide previous medical records to better understand your health history. If you have previous medical records – you can upload them prior to your visit in the message center.
   
• Develop a plan for better health, which may include screenings, specialist referrals, lifestyle recommendations, and more.  
   
• Discuss treatment options, including prescriptions when appropriate.  
  

If you forget to ask a question or need support after your visit, our care team is only a few clicks away in our secure message center! 

When you schedule a visit through your account, you'll be able to pick a day and time that works for you. Appointment times may be available as soon as tomorrow! 

Need to be seen sooner? Don't forget that you can use 24/7 urgent care for minor health issues. 

Instead of figuring out your driving route and printing out paperwork, we want you to focus on what’s most important — your health! That’s why we recommend that you:    

• Fill out the intake form before your visit. The form will come via email at reminders@elationemr.com. Filling out these forms before your visit is important. This form gives your provider with a lot of crucial information and allows more time for you to discuss what brought you to your visit.  
  
  
• Know your personal and family history. Your family health history can give your doctor a lot of information, so, if you can, note any members of your family who’ve experienced a serious health concern such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke or cancer.   
  
  
• Your provider may request that you provide previous medical records to better understand your health history. If you have previous medical records – you can upload them prior to your visit in the message center.
  
  
• Have your prescription information on hand. This includes the medication name, dosage, frequency, and how long you've been taking it. It might be easiest to take a photo of your medication packaging or have your prescription nearby during your appointment.  
   
• Be ready to ask the questions on your mind. We know that the time you spend with your doctor is valuable! We encourage you to write down your questions before your visit before your visit so you don’t forget. This way you can spend more time focusing on what's on your mind. If you still have questions or concerns after your visit, you can schedule a follow-up visit. 

Nothing is off limits when it comes to asking questions about your health. Your provider will guide the conversation about your health, but you can also ask questions like...   

• Is this symptom normal?  
• Is it time for a screening?   
• Can I get treatment for my seasonal allergies? 
• Am I missing any important vaccinations? 
• Can we talk about adjusting my medication?
• When should I come back for another visit? 
• How can virtual care support my health? 

You can schedule a follow-up visit using the First Stop Health mobile app or firststophealth.com. Click “Talk to a Doctor,” then “Primary Care.” When scheduling, we encourage you to select the same provider you saw before. You can find your previous primary care provider in your past primary care visits. Building a relationship with a personal provider will make it easier to pick up where you left off anytime you need care.  

Questions? Prefer to schedule your visit over the phone? Just call 888-691-7867. 

When appropriate, virtual primary care providers can prescribe and provide refills of regular medications for: 

• Ongoing Conditions: high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, thyroid disorder and more 
• Sexual Wellness: birth control, erectile dysfunction, STIs and more 
• Common Illnesses: cold & flu, sinus issues, skin rash and more 
• Mental Health: anxiety, depression and more

All primary care providers can prescribe medication.

After your care team has ordered your prescription, you can contact your pharmacy for prescription status updates. Questions about what we can prescribe? See our prescription policy.

If you need a refill, try to request 1 week prior to when you need it to give enough time for the pharmacy to process and fill your prescription. If you request a refill via the message center, allow 1-2 business days for your prescription to be sent to your pharmacy. 

Be sure to request your refill before you get to your last week of medication. Refilling a prescription can take 1-3 business days or longer over holidays.  

The quickest way to request a refill is to have your pharmacist fax a request to us at 312-258-1553.  After we receive the fax, your care team will process your request. You can contact your pharmacy directly for status updates, or message us if your request requires prior authorization. 

In some cases, maintenance medications can be refilled by an urgent care provider on a one-time basis. Request an urgent care visit. 

Due to federal laws, First Stop Health cannot prescribe or refill controlled substances, like Xanax and Adderall. However, your care team can refer you to a local in-person provider who can manage these types of medications for you. 

You might associate healthcare with health insurance. But that isn’t the case here! First Stop Health is separate from insurance.

If you need outside care, such as imaging, lab work or a specialist visit, we will work to help you find quality, affordable options in your insurance network. For any care outside of First Stop Health, costs according to your insurance plan will apply.

To avoid paying out of pocket, you will need to use HMO-, Tricare-. Medicaid, or Medicaid-approved providers for testing, medications, and referrals due to insurance restrictions. Please discuss recommended testing with your HMO, Tricare, or Medicaid provider to find approved options. Not sure who your HMO, Tricare, or Medicaid provider is? Call the phone number on your insurance card.  

You can see a doctor at First Stop Health for medical questions and advice, but we will not be able to order any testing, prescriptions, or referrals. 

You can send your insurance card photos to the virtual primary care team in several ways: 

• Option 1: Log into the First Stop Health mobile app and choose “Profile” at the bottom of the homepage, then “Insurance Details,” then “Upload new insurance card,” then “Save.” 
• Option 2: Log into your account on your computer. Select “Profile” from your home page, then “Edit Insurance Details,” then “Upload new photo of my insurance card,” then “Save.” 
• Option 3: Attach the photos to a message in the First Stop Health message center.
• Option 4: Upload your insurance card information when filling out your intake form before your visit. 

Be sure to update your insurance information if it has changed or if you are using secondary insurance. 

*If you are sending a photo from an iPhone, be sure your photo is not in “live” mode. 

You can find a copy of your lab order at firststophealth.com or on the First Stop Health mobile app. For Quest or LabCorp orders, just log in and go to "Past Visits" then "Primary Care." For other locations, our team will reach out to assist you in finding a preferred lab location through the message center.

First, let your care team know via the message center in the First Stop Health app or website. We will be able to send your lab order to your preferred lab or local hospital. Once your care team sends your lab order to the new location, you can call the facility to ask if you need an appointment or can drop in. This is also a great time to confirm the cost of your labs according to your health insurance plan.  

Ask the lab to fax your results to First Stop Health at 312-258-1553. Let your care team know when you have gotten your labs done via the message center. For routine labs, you should receive your results within 3 days. If you do not hear back from your lab within that timeframe, message your care team or call 888-691-7867.  

Unless your care team instructed you otherwise, do not eat or drink anything other than water for 8 hours leading up to your lab visit. You can take sips of water with your medication before your lab visit. You may find it easiest to go to the lab first thing in the morning so that you can fast overnight while sleeping. Fasting for your labs ensures the most accurate laboratory results on your baseline nutrients. Read more here.

You can find both your visit summary and lab order in your past primary care visits.

The next step is for your doctor to review your labs. Confirm with the lab that your results will be faxed to your care team at 312-258-1553. You can also upload them yourself to the secure message center.

You can schedule a follow-up visit with your doctor to discuss lab results. Please wait at least 72 hours after completing labs to schedule for your visit to ensure we have received your labs. 

The lab facility will bill your insurance. If your insurance does not cover the full cost of your labs, you may receive a bill from the lab facility. You will be responsible for this bill, and the lab facility will tell you how to pay it.

1. Someone from your care team will reach out to ask for your preferences and insurance information. This will help us find quality, affordable options in your insurance network. Let your care team know as soon as possible if you have provider preferences already.  
    
2. First Stop Health will use your insurance information and/or preferences to provide you with a referral. Once you receive your referral, contact the provider(s) to discuss service prices and schedule an appointment.  
   
   
3. Follow up with us! If you want to share your results with your doctor, verify that they will be faxed to your care team at 312-258-1553. After you’ve completed your visit(s), let us know how it went in your secure message center or schedule a visit to talk to your doctor.  

If you have any questions, feel free to message your care team.