You’ve probably known or heard of someone that’s received a medical marijuana recommendation and experienced huge relief for a variety of medical conditions. But what are the risks of getting a medical marijuana recommendation in California?
500,000 Strong
There are an estimated half-million medical marijuana patients in California, and that number rises every day. As more and more people find relief through California medical marijuana recommendations, it’s important to consider the risks in the typical patient experience of finding a local doctor, traveling to their office and receiving a prescription in person. PrestoDoctor has helped thousands of patients safely and securely receive medical recommendations for their ailments through direct video chat with our staff of medical doctors, and there are a few concerns we’ve heard over and over again from Californians needing real medical treatment.
A Technological Medical Company
From our vantage point as a technology company enabling 100% secure medical marijuana recommendations for patients all across the state of California, there are various legal, technological and security concerns that we’ve encountered. In this post we’ll explain why the antiquated in-person medical recommendation system established in the 1990’s is no longer the best option for Californians seeking safe, effective relief through medical cannabis.
The Security of Your Private Medical Data: Legal Considerations
The real risk is going to a provider that isn’t well versed in the legal requirements for issuing legitimate, medically sound recommendations. HIPAA regulations, patient privacy statutes, data warehousing requirements – these are all specific concerns that have to be addressed for each and every patient. PrestoDoctor only works with the very best medical professionals – doctors that have seen an enormous range of medical conditions, who have years of deep, informative experience, and are experts in the specific concerns & needs of those requiring medical marijuana. Just as importantly, we are a technology company at the core, with a powerful online platform and a company headquarters located right in downtown San Francisco. When we say your information is secure, we mean it – using industry-leading security measures to protect the sanctity of your private medical and identifying information. The security of electronic medical records has been featured everywhere from in-depth features on 60 Minutes to cartoons New Yorker magazine – and it’s something we take extremely seriously.
The Safety & Reliability of Medical Providers
In California, thousands of medical cannabis recommendation providers pop up, seemingly out of nowhere, every year – a quick search on Yelp shows more than 500 in the Los Angeles area alone. Many of these are small operations, run by 2 or even fewer doctors with little support staff. Patients have to commute to a specific office and could wait for 30 minutes to an hour to talk to a doctor for the first time. With these one-off shops, surviving on tenuous status, you might not know how long they’ve existed or whether they’ll even be in business next year. In the worst case, they’ll provide recommendations for 6 months knowing full well the patient has a condition that’s likely to persist for a year – thereby charging the patient double, and requiring another visit just a few months down the line. If the shop closes – often without notice – the patient is left to find another doctor, establish a new relationship, and go through the whole evaluation & identification process again. With PrestoDoctor it couldn’t be easier – your information is kept as secure as possible, and when the time comes for a renewal, we’ll automatically remind you well ahead of time. We even offer a discount for repeat medical marijuana recommendation patients!
Having A Medical Marijuana Recommendation In The First Place
The biggest risk of all, of course, is not having a recommendation at all. California might be a laid back state, but marijuana is still ILLEGAL without a medical marijuana recommendation, and smoking or possessing it is against the law if you don’t have the proper authorization from a licensed medical doctor who’s given you a formal assessment. Acquiring a legitimate medical cannabis recommendation is the best way to creating a treatment program that is safe, verifiable, and fully compliant with the law.
Eliminate Your Risks with PrestoDoctor
The best way to avoid these risks is to use a trusted online provider like PrestoDoctor. The combination of convenience, security protocol and rapid turnaround on medical cards – most are received within 2-3 days – makes it the best option for anyone seeking a convenient, effective medical cannabis recommendation in California.
