Two categories of infection account for an enormous number of urgent care visits and are, for most patients, entirely manageable by video: uncomplicated urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections. Both are time-sensitive in the sense that waiting is miserable and, for STIs, delays transmission control. Neither usually requires an examination.
This clinic exists because the alternative is a walk-in visit where you wait two hours to be handed a prescription by someone who will not see you again, without a culture, and without anyone noticing that this is your fourth infection this year.
Urinary tract infections by video
A healthy, non-pregnant woman with typical symptoms — burning, urgency, frequency, no fever, no back pain — can be assessed and treated by video the same day. We take a proper history, check what antibiotics you have had recently and what you are allergic to, prescribe according to local resistance patterns rather than habit, and arrange a urine culture. That last part is what distinguishes this from a prescription app: the culture confirms the organism and its sensitivities, which matters if the symptoms do not settle and matters even more if this happens again.
If you have had two or more infections in six months, we will say so and arrange proper evaluation rather than treating the episode and letting it repeat. That pathway is described under preventing recurrent UTIs.
When we will ask you to come in instead
Fever, shaking chills, flank or back pain, nausea or vomiting — these suggest the kidney is involved. Pregnancy. Male sex, because urinary infection in a man is never routine. Visible blood in the urine. Inability to urinate. Symptoms that have not improved after 48 hours of treatment. Recurrent infections needing evaluation. Confusion in an older patient. We would rather say this at the start of the call than issue a prescription that is not the right answer.
STI testing and treatment
We test and treat for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas, syphilis, HIV, herpes and hepatitis, with or without symptoms. Testing without symptoms is a completely legitimate reason to book — for many patients it is simply part of starting a new relationship or a routine they keep.
The visit covers what to test for based on exposure and sites involved, since throat and rectal infections are missed entirely by urine testing alone and are common. Where treatment is indicated we prescribe it, arrange injectable treatment in the office where that is required, and discuss partner notification and treatment. We will also raise HPV vaccination and, where appropriate, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, both of which are frequently relevant and rarely offered at a walk-in clinic.
Results are given to you directly rather than left in a portal, and anything requiring treatment is acted on the day it returns.
What it costs and how it works
Appointments are booked by phone on (212) 991-9991 or through our appointment page, and are conducted on a secure video link. Laboratory testing is arranged at a collection site near you or at either office. Prescriptions go to the pharmacy you choose. Most insurance plans cover telehealth visits; we verify before the visit rather than after.
You are seeing physicians and clinicians from the practice, which means that if this turns out to be the start of something rather than a one-off, the follow-up is already in the same place. That continuity is the actual argument for using this rather than an anonymous service.
Questions patients ask
How quickly can I be seen?
Usually the same day for both UTI and STI visits. Call (212) 991-9991 and say what it is about — these are triaged quickly.
Will I get antibiotics on the call?
For an uncomplicated urinary infection in a patient who fits the criteria, yes, and a culture is arranged at the same time. For STIs it depends on what is being treated: some are treated on the basis of exposure and symptoms, some after testing, and some require an injection that must be given in the office.
Can men use the UTI clinic?
Men with urinary symptoms are welcome to book, but the visit will usually lead to an in-person appointment. Urinary infection in a man is not routine and warrants evaluation of the prostate and upper tracts rather than a prescription alone.
Do I need symptoms to get STI testing?
No. A great many of the infections we find cause no symptoms at all, which is exactly why testing without them is worthwhile. Asking to be tested is a good reason to book and needs no further explanation.
What if the treatment does not work?
Contact us rather than starting another course elsewhere. If a culture was sent it will tell us what the organism is sensitive to, which usually explains the failure immediately and points to the right drug.
Sources
Make an appointment
Manhattan (212) 991-9991 · Forest Hills (718) 360-9550 · same-week visits and all insurance accepted, including Medicaid and Medicare.