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Telemedicine abroad: How to consult a doctor online while traveling
Accessing telemedicine abroad is a convenient way to get professional medical guidance, symptom assessments, and prescriptions without having to navigate unfamiliar local healthcare systems or language barriers. Whether you’re traveling on vacation, living abroad as an expat, or working remotely, virtual care allows you to consult certified doctors directly from your smartphone anywhere in the world.
With Holafly, travelers get complimentary access to telemedicine abroad powered by MeetingDoctors. Instant primary care and specialized chats are included at no extra cost with your Trip (Daily data package) or your Ultra Plan (Monthly subscription). Read on to discover how this medical benefit works, what services are covered, how to get e-prescriptions abroad, and how to start a consultation directly from your app.
Telemedicine services included with your purchase
When getting sick on vacation or dealing with a health concern during your trip, you can access non-emergency primary care through virtual consultations. Depending on whether you have a Trip or an Ultra Plan, services fall into two main categories, with availability varying by product and selected language:
Instant primary care (No-appointment access)
Connect with healthcare professionals via real-time chat or immediate video call (Included in both Trips & Ultra Plan):
- General medicine (24/7): Get help with mild acute conditions such as digestive symptoms, respiratory infections, insect bites, rashes, jet lag, and medication guidance.
- Pediatrics: Instant guidance for parents handling fever, dehydration, vomiting, or skin allergies in infants and children while traveling.
- Gynecology: Care for travel-related urinary or reproductive discomfort, menstrual changes, and contraceptive advice.
- Veterinary guidance: Assistance for pets traveling internationally, including acute symptoms, food reactions, and country-entry health requirements.
Note: Immediate video call consultations are exclusively available for General Medicine when Spanish is selected as your consultation language in the app. All other primary care specialties across both products are delivered via chat.
Scheduled wellbeing & specialty care (48-hour advance booking)
Book a video consultation at least 48 hours in advance for personalized physical and mental health care. This service is exclusive to Ultra Plan monthly subscription; not included in Trips (Daily data package).
- Psychology: Professional guidance and emotional support for travel stress, cultural adjustment, isolation, or anxiety.
- Nutrition: Personalized advice on adapting your diet to local cuisines, managing food allergies, and supporting your nutritional needs.
- Personal training: Exercise routines designed for hotel rooms or short-term rentals without gym equipment.
Service availability by product (Trips vs. Ultra plan)
The available medical specialties, consultation formats, and response times depend on your Holafly product (Trip or Ultra Plan) and the consultation language you select in the app.
While Ultra Plan include global telemedicine access, benefits for Trips (daily data packages) are available for the following destinations: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Latin America (Regional trip), and Europe (Regional trip).
| Service | Format | Availability | Trip (Daily data package) | Ultra Plan (Monthly subscription) | Supported Languages |
| General Medical Care | Real-time chat & video call | Monday to Sunday (24/7) | Included | Included | Spanish (chat & video) | English (chat only) |
| Pediatrics | Real-time chat | Daily time slots (Mon–Sun) | Included | Included | English & Spanish |
| Gynecology | Real-time chat | Weekday time slots (Mon–Fri) | Included | Included | Spanish only |
| Veterinary Guidance | Real-time chat | Daily time slots (Mon–Sun) | Included | Included | Spanish only |
| Wellbeing Care (Psychology, Nutrition & Personal Trainer) | Scheduled video call (48h advance booking) | By appointment | Not included | Included | English & Spanish |
Note: General Medical Care is available 24/7. For specialized services (Pediatrics, Gynecology, and Veterinary Guidance), active operating hours vary depending on your destination, local time zone, and language. You can check real-time availability and operating windows directly in the Holafly app by accessing the MeetingDoctors platform.
How does telemedicine abroad work?
Telemedicine abroad connects you with certified doctors through secure video calls or real-time chat directly from the Holafly app (once your eSIM is activated, and you have an internet connection via mobile data or Wi-Fi). During a virtual consultation, doctors can assess acute symptoms such as fever, traveler’s diarrhea, or altitude sickness. They can also offer preventive guidance, issue digital medical reports, and provide e-prescriptions to present at local pharmacies where legally supported.
How to start a virtual visit in the Holafly App
- Open the Holafly app → Tap Purchases in the bottom menu → Select your active Trip (Daily data package) or Ultra Plan (Monthly subscription) → Under Benefits, tap Health care 24/7 included or Health and wellbeing → Select preferred Consultation language and your location (when you have an Ultra Plan) →Finally, tap I need a consult button to enter the MeetingDoctors virtual medical consultation platform.
Important: Medical consultations are only available in English and Spanish, and you cannot change languages during an active session. Choose your preference before entering, as available specialties and formats (chat or video) depend on the language selected.
Can you get prescriptions and medical reports via telemedicine abroad?
Yes. Depending on your destination, using telehealth while on vacation or traveling for work allows you to receive electronic prescriptions and official medical documentation directly in your consultation thread.
Electronic prescriptions (E-prescriptions)
Doctors can issue electronic prescriptions for medications where local regulations support digital prescriptions:
- European Union. Accepted at local pharmacies in select member countries according to local digital health regulations.
- Latin America. Available in destinations that recognize digital international prescriptions. In Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil, prescriptions cannot be issued via video call, but only through chat with a local doctor. To request one in these four countries, you must start a chat consultation and select the General Medicine — Prescriptions option.
- United States. Local pharmacies do not accept international e-prescriptions. Instead, doctors can recommend over-the-counter (OTC) alternatives and provide an official digital medical report.
Digital medical reports
Doctors can provide official digital medical reports worldwide, including in the United States and Europe. These documents summarize your consultation, diagnosis, and recommended treatment, and can be submitted directly to your travel insurance provider, local clinics, or employer.
When should you seek in-person medical care?
MeetingDoctors provides virtual medical guidance for non-emergency conditions while you travel. You should seek in-person medical care in the following situations:
- Medical emergencies. For severe chest pain, major trauma, loss of consciousness, or any life-threatening condition, do not use the app. Call local emergency services immediately (such as 911 in North America or 112 in Europe) or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.
- Conditions requiring physical examination or tests. If your symptoms require hands-on physical evaluation, blood work, X-rays, or specialized diagnostic procedures that cannot be performed virtually.
⚠️ Important note on coverage and costs: MeetingDoctors is a virtual medical consultation service, not a health insurance policy. It does not cover hospital admissions, surgeries, ambulance transport, or medical evacuations. Any in-person clinic visits or medications purchased at local pharmacies are out-of-pocket expenses and must be paid directly by you.
How is your information protected?
End-to-end encryption protects your consultations, chat transcripts, prescriptions, and health records. Holafly does not store or process medical records. MeetingDoctors manages your personal data on secure servers and follows international medical data privacy standards.
What should I know about activation, refunds, and cancellation?
All telemedicine benefits are provided as part of an all-in-one product bundle alongside your Holafly connectivity. Depending on whether you have a Trip or an Ultra Plan, specific terms apply to benefit activation, refunds, and cancellations:
Benefit activation
- Trips (Daily data packages). Access to virtual medical consultations becomes available automatically in the Holafly app once your eSIM is activated on your device.
- Ultra Plan (Monthly subscription). Medical benefits start automatically on your date of purchase.
Refund policies
- Trips (Daily data packages). You can request a full refund in the Holafly app or through our Support team within 6 months of purchase, provided you have not activated your eSIM or used a virtual medical consultation.
- Ultra Plan (Monthly subscription). You can also request a full refund through Holafly Support within 14 days of purchase, provided you have not used mobile data, submitted flight claims, or used a virtual medical consultation.
General terms for medical benefits
Telehealth services are tied to your Holafly product and cannot be canceled, transferred, or refunded separately. Canceling your purchase or receiving a refund for your Holafly eSIM or Ultra Plan monthly subscription will immediately revoke your access to virtual medical consultations.
