Can a Virtual Urgent Care Doctor Order Labs, Imaging, or Specialist Referrals?

You have a virtual visit.

The clinician says you need an X-ray.

And immediately you wonder:

So... do I have to go to urgent care now and start all over?

Not necessarily.

Most common medical concerns you might go to urgent care for can be evaluated and treated completely virtually. But when your care does need something that can’t happen through a screen, that doesn’t mean the virtual visit was pointless or that you have to start over somewhere else.

With Shift, you can start with what’s going on. A licensed clinician can evaluate your concern and help determine what comes next.

Maybe everything can be handled virtually.

Maybe you need medication.

Maybe you need labs, imaging, or a specialist referral.

Maybe you need to be seen in person.

You don’t have to know which one before you start.

Virtual care doesn’t have to mean everything happens virtually

Blood work can’t happen through your phone.

Neither can an X-ray, MRI, or hands-on examination.

But the decision that you need one might.

Say you hurt your ankle. A Shift clinician may be able to evaluate what’s going on and determine that an X-ray is the appropriate next step.

You still need to go somewhere with an X-ray machine.

But you didn’t necessarily need to sit in a waiting room just to find out you needed one.

The same idea can apply to lab work, other imaging, or a specialist referral.

And if your clinician determines they need a hands-on examination before deciding what comes next, they can guide you there instead.

Virtual care doesn’t have to do everything virtually to be useful. It needs to help you get the care you need.

The test can happen somewhere else without starting over

If your Shift clinician orders labs or imaging, you complete it locally and receive the report or results.

Then upload them to Shift and follow up with your clinician.

If you find a Shift clinician you like, you can choose them again when they’re available.

An X-ray can happen at an imaging center.

Blood work can happen at a lab.

A specialist can provide the care that requires their expertise.

The relationship with the person helping you navigate what’s going on doesn’t necessarily have to move every time your care does.

Sometimes the right next step is in-person care

There are situations where a virtual evaluation isn’t enough.

Maybe your clinician needs to physically examine you before ordering a test. Maybe your symptoms need a different level of care. Maybe what you’re describing could be an emergency.

Shift isn’t designed to keep everything virtual.

It’s designed so you don’t have to figure out the entire path before you start.

If you’re experiencing a known medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency care rather than waiting for a virtual visit.

You don’t need to know where your care will end before you start

You shouldn’t need to know whether your ankle needs an X-ray before talking to someone.

You shouldn’t need to know which specialist treats your problem before getting evaluated.

And you shouldn’t have to figure out whether you need virtual care, a lab, an imaging center, urgent care, a specialist, or something else before you can start getting care.

Start with what’s going on. Shift can help you figure out what comes next.

If you’re trying to decide between primary care and urgent care, read Urgent Care or Primary Care? Here’s a Simpler Way to Decide.