The era of drive-thru healthcare is here

Gone — or nearly gone — are the days of traditional family doctors, who knew patients and their health problems inside and out. In are the days of “drive-thru healthcare,” as Dylan Scott wrote for Vox. Thanks to the telehealth revolution, getting a prescription online can feel more like ordering a Big Mac at the drive-thru window than going to a local restaurant where the owner knows your name.

The rise of online platforms like Hims and Hers means patients get the medications they want quickly and discreetly, without having to meet with a primary care physician, of which there is a shortage.

“We’ve become accustomed to this more transactional type of healthcare,” Scott said. “The question will just be, ‘When does it make sense for me to use this, and when am I taking a risk when I go for this kind of one-time-only healthcare?’”

“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke to Scott about his reporting on the rise of drive-thru healthcare.

To hear their conversation, click “Listen Now” at the top of the page.