A few years ago, getting birth control could mean waiting up to 10 weeks for an OB/GYN appointment. But now, thanks to Intermountain Health's easy and innovative approach, you can get your medication in just minutes.

Intermountain has introduced a self-service online form that allows you to request birth control and other low-risk medications without needing an appointment. Simply fill out a form, have a quick phone consultation with a pharmacist, and get your medication delivered straight to your home. No more waiting rooms, video visits, or app downloads.

“This option helps alleviate strain on providers and saves time, energy, and stress for both patients and providers by eliminating the need for a 20-minute face-to-face appointment for a simple prescription,” Dr. Matthew Wells, medical director of women’s health, said.

Intermountain has expanded this service to include 11 other on-demand options in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana, such as:

• Naloxone
• Self-directed colon cancer screening (FIT)
• PrEP/PEP HIV prevention and treatment
• Smoking cessation treatment
• Seasonal allergy relief
• Athlete’s foot relief
• Injectable epinephrine for allergic reactions
• Period pain relief
• At-home self-ordered lab draws with a phlebotomist
• Hair loss treatment
• Herpes simplex (cold sore) virus treatment

Many of these tests and medications are under $50, and for Select Health members, colon cancer testing and birth control are covered at no cost as proactive care initiatives. The team is working to launch additional low-risk medications and lab tests and expand the service footprint.

One patient shared, “I completed the request in less than 30 minutes and had the prescription on my doorstep the next day. I would have had to wait nine weeks to get into my OB/GYN.”

This program doesn’t replace the need for routine preventative care but allows you to access care when it’s convenient for you.

Anyone can use the online form to request available medications and tests. If the pharmacist or lab tech determines that an on-demand patient is at risk and needs a higher level of care, the team can direct them to a virtual visit via Connect Care. If an in-person visit is required, they can be seen at one of Intermountain’s many brick-and-mortar locations.

“This model is one of the only ones where a patient is truly covered no matter their risk or need,” Dr. Wells said.

Meeting you where you are, Intermountain is making sure you get the care you need, when and how you need it.