I’m writing this with a cold towel on my forehead and a mug filled with Chamomile tea, but sadly this isn’t a West Village fashion statement or a way to prepare for an acting gig. Instead it’s the harsh reality of getting over strep throat. But I’m not writing this to vent or for anyone to feel sorry for me. I’m writing this to let you know about a quick way to see a doctor and get a prescription (Before I start I have to say that the first thing you should do is go to your school’s medical center and see what they can do for you. These health clinics are run with you in mind so don’t put off something for fear of confidentially or even laziness; if you’re not feeling well just make an appointment at the health center – I guarantee no one wants to hang out with a sick person.)
Since it’s the summer and I’m not in school at the moment I went to my insurance company’s website (in this case Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield) and used their search function to get a list of doctors by specialty and distance from my apartment. The problem is that I apparently picked the one week of the year when most of the doctors in this city are on vacation to get sick. I called 15 offices and I got nowhere.
I was suggested a plan B by a friend’s mother who’s a nurse and this turned out to be a great option and the one I’m highly recommending to you. Maybe you already know about these, but many regular pharmacies like CVS, Duane Reade, and Walgreens have convenient walk-in clinics. A walk-in clinic is a small clinic at a drugstore where they have an on-site doctor who will give you a checkup. They also take a plethora of insurance plans, which is also a major plus. I went to a Duane Reade in the Upper East Side (unfortunately CVS and Walgreens don’t have any locations in Manhattan), and after waiting 10 minutes I was seen by a doctor’s assistant who checked my blood pressure, asked me some basic questions about my medical history, and took a nice swab of the back of my throat to check for strep. I was then seen in a second room by a great doctor who asked me some more questions and confirmed I had strep after the test results were ready (about 5- 10 minutes after the assistant made me gag and took the swab). The best part of the visit, however, may have been the fact that a minute after the doctor wrote me a prescription a pharmacist was filling it at the in-store pharmacy. As I waited, I bought Tylenol, Advil, and water and read a magazine. 15 minutes after I brought my prescription to be filled it was ready for pick up. I was impressed by the expediency of the whole process and how easy it was to get diagnosed and have a prescription filled. If any of you find it a hassle to see a doctor, or even if you don’t, these walk-in clinics are efficient and a great way to get better in no time at all.
In the meantime I’m spending my days locked away in my apartment watching movies I missed out on in the theatres – anyone have any suggestions?
-Roni Tessler
