If you’re reading Summer Health reviews, you’re likely searching for some comfort and support on your parenting journey. Medical and developmental care is critical to the well-being of every child, and telehealth solutions are creating more access than ever before.
Parenting often feels like walking into the ocean with a strong tide. There’s so much joy as the fresh water hits your skin, but you can’t help looking at the waves and wondering if they’re coming on a little too strong or what’s swimming underneath them. Will the next one knock you under, or will you continue to enjoy the smooth current?
There are joys so immense you will struggle to put them into words as your little ones grow, but you’ll also have moments of worry that leave you pondering important questions.
Is this something to worry about, or am I overreacting? Should I call the doctor or go to the ER?
Those are always some of the most intense moments for parents. You don’t want to rush to the ER or schedule a doctor’s appointment for nothing, but you also need peace of mind that your child is okay. At other times, you may simply not want to take a sick child out of the home for fear of outside germs!
That’s where Summer Health becomes an invaluable tool. I recently signed up when my first son was born and I’ll share my experience with the service to give you a parent’s opinion – firsthand. Here’s a quick list of pros and cons in case you’re in a hurry:
Summer Health Pros & Cons
- Summer Health offers pediatric, text-based visits and serves as a potential solution for urgent care for your child.
- Whether you have a quick question about your baby’s development, such as how to introduce solids, or your baby has an earache, board-certified pediatricians and specialist doctors are ready to help regardless of the day or time.
- Everything works through text messaging, and most replies are within 15 minutes. That’s a lot of peace of mind for <$20 per month.
Pros
- Access to licensed medical providers and specialists around the clock, even on holidays
- Covers a wide variety of medical, developmental, and postpartum needs
- All children covered with one subscription
- No appointments necessary
- Strives for answers within 15 minutes & guaranteed within 24 hours
- 75% introductory discount
- Low monthly subscription cost & savings for paying subscriptions annually
- Video chat software not required
- Available in all 50 U.S. states
- Answer sessions aren’t timed or limited
- 1 full month refund if a question isn’t answered within 24 hours
Cons
- Answers aren’t guaranteed within 15 minutes for all questions (but guaranteed within 24 hours)
- Video appointments unavailable
- Telephone appointments unavailable
Summer Health Overview: What’s their online pediatric care like?
Summer Health offers comprehensive, text-based pediatrics care. Most of the issues that would lead you to schedule an appointment with a local pediatrician or even visit urgent care or the ER may be covered. You send a simple text message, including photos, and get responses back in written form. That ensures you don’t miss any details, which is easy to do when sitting in a doctor’s office with a child.
While there is no face-to-face interaction, there are some advantages to a pediatric text visit.
- Receive care from a pediatrician or specialist – just as you would in a local doctor’s office. They can handle everything from consultations and checking symptoms to calling in prescriptions and arranging lab work as needed.
- Consult with a pediatrician to help you decide if you want to visit your local doctor or go to urgent care. Sometimes, all you need is for someone to validate or comfort you in a stressful moment.
- Secure after-hours medical attention that you wouldn’t have access to in person. You don’t have to wait until morning if you can’t get a fever down or another problem arises.
- Get quick answers to simple parenting or developmental questions that you wouldn’t schedule a doctor visit to ask. Think of it as an added layer of parenting support – you don’t have to wait until the next checkup to ask less urgent medical questions.
Here’s an example text that I sent Summer Health 14 days after my first son was born:
If sending a text message and talking to a pediatrician or specialist on short-term notice sounds comforting or invaluable, read on. We’ll dive deeper into Summer Health virtual pediatrics.
Introducing Summer Health
A visit to most pediatrician offices will tell you that things aren’t the same in the medical field today. Most offices are overcrowded, with providers struggling to keep up with local demand for care. Many parents face delays in getting referrals and appointments with specialists, and labor shortages can lead to difficulties in getting lab work drawn in some areas.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States may face a shortage of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033. Add that to shortages in nursing and other medical fields, and you see the reason for the slowdown in many doctor’s offices.
Summer Health was created as a convenient solution for these growing problems. Designed to simplify healthcare for all caregivers, Summer Health is helping many children get the care they need in a timelier manner.
As the service grows, Summer Health may also remove some of the overwhelm for pediatricians in their local offices, as more issues are handled without face-to-face interaction.
The lowdown on pediatrician virtual visits
Telehealth has been developing for years but became the norm during the height of COVID-19. Trial and error with those early applications and advancing technology came together to allow even small medical practices to adjust quickly to the changes brought on by a pandemic.
Early adaptations of telehealth typically catered to patients unable to access medical care due to a lack of resources or location, and the focus was mostly on video conferencing and telephone calls.
Summer Health is pushing telehealth to new heights by implementing a technology that more people can access: text messaging. Not everyone has a laptop, computer, or smartphone with a camera and video conferencing capability, but phones with text messaging are widespread.
By offering pediatric virtual visits through text messaging for patients in all states, Summer Health is ensuring high-quality medical care across the country. They’re using a simple technology that most caregivers can access easily to help children receive care that is getting harder and harder to secure in some areas of the country.
Source: Summer Health
What makes message-based care from Summer Health worth It?
Now that we’ve discussed the medical system’s challenges and the evolving concept of telehealth, we’re going to discuss the benefits of signing up for a service that offers online pediatric urgent care and pediatric virtual visits. What is all the hype about when it comes to Summer Health?
The big deal is convenient, on-demand pediatric care for all your children without leaving home. Here are some of the perks that may make Summer Health worth the investment for your family:
- Access to licensed medical providers and specialists around the clock, even on holidays
- No need to schedule appointments
- Virtual pediatric appointments without leaving your home
- Answers to medical and developmental questions – within 15 minutes
- Clear instructions on what comes next – care plans, subscriptions, labs, etc.
- No limited appointment times – ask questions until you feel comfortable with the next steps
- Video conferencing software is never required – only text messaging
- Multiple children included for one low subscription fee
But what if you already have a pediatrician you trust? Summer Health doesn’t have to take the place of your primary care pediatrician or family doctor. Many parents use it as a secondary source of information and peace of mind when the doctor’s office is closed or busy.
You never know when your pediatrician’s office will have no available appointments when you need to ask questions about your child’s health or development. Virtual pediatrics are a great backup plan to ensure you get your questions answered when you need it most.
What conditions does Summer Health help with?
Summer Health can help care for any condition you may see a pediatrician about, and it’s not just about the little ones – they also offer postpartum services for mothers! The following chart will give you a good idea of the conditions cared for, but there are many, many more.
Summer Health alternatives: How does it compare vs K Health and Blueberry Pediatrics?
If having a pediatric urgent care always at your fingertips with fast access to virtual visits sounds great so far, there’s one more thing to consider: How does Summer Health stack up against other services offering virtual pediatrics? We’ve provided that info in a quick snapshot, we created the following chart comparing Summer Health to K Health and Blueberry Pediatrics.
Best pediatric telehealth platforms | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $20 per month OR
$192 annually ($16/mo) | $29 per month plus $35 per visit | $18 per month OR
$180 per year + one-time enrollment fee ($15/mo) |
| Text response time? | Strive for under 15 minutes - Under 24 hours guaranteed | Typically within 1 hour - No guaranteed time | No guaranteed time |
| Video appointments available? | ❌ | 🟡 If needed for treatment only | ❌ - but submission of short videos is occasionally required for treatment |
| 24/7 care? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Access to multiple caregivers? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can use for multiple children? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Refund policy? | 🟡 Email refunds@ summerhealth.com to see if you qualify for prorated refund | 🟡 Unknown | ✅ - email help@blueberrypediatrics.com |
| Other services offered? | N/a | Primary Care Urgent Care Mental Health | N/a |
| Available in? | All 50 U.S. states | California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming | Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin |
| Website |
Summer Health reviews: What are customers saying?
There are some obvious perks to using Summer Health over other virtual pediatric care platforms. For starters, medical providers are available anywhere in the US, while competitors are still working on nationwide expansion.
Another Summer Health advantage is a dedicated focus on pediatrics. Blueberry Pediatrics shares that focus, but services like K Health are available to patients of all ages. A platform dedicated entirely to pediatric and postpartum care can give you peace of mind that your provider is tending solely to your and your child’s needs.
The subscription cost for Summer Health is also highly competitive. You get more coverage from licensed providers for $16 to $20 per month, and you can include all of your children in one monthly subscription. The only potential downside is that video appointments aren’t offered at this time, so you won’t have that option, even if it could help with diagnosis.
What to expect with Summer Health
Signing up for Summer Health is about as simple as it can get. Provide basic personal information, pay for your subscription, and send that first message to talk to a provider right away. There’s no wait time, and you can ask questions of your kids one at a time or all at once.
In most cases, you’ll receive a response within 15 minutes, and there’s no time limit to your correspondence or conversation length. The provider will continue responding until you’re satisfied and feel comfortable with the following steps or care plan outlined.
If providers are limited in your area or the service is busy, you may have to wait more than 15 minutes for a response. In that case, Summer Health guarantees a response within 24 hours. If you don’t receive a response within 24 hours, you will receive a full month’s subscription refund to compensate for the inconvenience. According to the many glowing Summer Health reviews online, that doesn’t happen often.
The Verdict: Is Summer Health worth it?
Summer Health is ideal for [guys/women/shoppers] who want to…
There are some clear advantages to enrolling in Summer Health. Virtual pediatrics could save you from driving long distances or delaying care for your child if you have limited care options in your local area. If you don’t have insurance or can’t afford to visit a local doctor, you may find that online pediatric urgent care and visits are far more affordable, especially for smaller matters.
Even if you have a pediatrician whom you love already, Summer Health is an affordable way to back up your child’s medical and developmental care. You’ll have the convenience of talking to a doctor for minor illnesses and simple questions without scheduling an appointment and taking your child to the office. If you have a busy schedule, then the time you save is invaluable.
Finally, Summer Health is worth the investment if you need peace of mind. Sometimes, it helps to know that a licensed medical provider is on hand if you have questions or aren’t sure what to do for your child in unusual situations. You won’t have to wonder whether you should go to the ER if you can access an online pediatric urgent care in 15 minutes or less.
Summer Health FAQs: What to know before getting started
Where are Summer Health services available?
Summer Health services are available in all 50 U.S. states.
Does Summer Health have a refund policy?
Summer Health may issue a refund if you’re unhappy with the service. They require a detailed email explaining your case. A prorated refund is released if your claim is accepted.
Does Summer Health accept insurance?
While Summer Health doesn’t work with insurance companies, you may be able to use your insurance for ancillary services and prescription medication not covered by the Summer Health membership.
Have you or someone you know tried Summer Health or another online pediatric telehealth service? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!
How much does Summer Health cost?
Here’s what you can expect when paying for pediatric care from Summer Health:
- You can pay a monthly subscription fee of $20 or an annual fee of $192
- All new members can receive a 75% discount the first month
- There are no visit fees or copays
- There is no enrollment fee
- All of your children are included in one subscription.
- Unlimited access to pediatricians and specialist doctors
Note that a Summer Health membership only includes the care provided by the service’s providers through text messaging. If your child must be sent for labs, vaccinations, or further testing, those ancillary services are not included in the membership cost. The cost of medication prescribed by a Summer Health provider is also not included in the membership. You can use your insurance for those expenses if it’s available.
Methodology
We conduct extensive research to evaluate the pricing, effectiveness, accessibility, overall quality, and user experience of every telehealth service we review. This also includes examining and comparing each provider to comparable telemedicine alternatives. We also evaluate usability, treatments, prescription delivery time, and more to determine the best value for those seeking fast and reliable telehealth services.
| Review Process | Key Metrics | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Sign up online | – ease to complete intake form – affordability – upfront commitment or subscription required? – money back guarantee or refund policy? | 0.5 |
| Vitual consult with provider / determine eligibility | – ease to get appointment to determine eligibility – need to leave house for labs or other in-person care? | 1 |
| Shipping + unboxing | – shipping cost – time from order to treatment delivery – discreet packaging to maintain privacy | 0.5 |
| Test + journal for 1-3 months | – ease of application – transition into habitual use – taste / smell / feel / pain | 1.5 |
| Results after 3 months of use | – efficacy / results – lack of side effects – ease of refill / reordering – quality of ongoing clinical support – responsive customer support – willingness to recommend to a friend | 1.5 |
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