Medical care is now only a phone call away. TelaDoc Medical Services gives call-in patients medical advice and prescribes medication 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The convenience is undeniable and the cost affordable – $35 a call—but not everyone is a fan.

The Dallas-based company has been criticized by The American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Medical Association and The Medical Board of California among others.

Dr. David Goldstein, of USC’s Pacific Center for Health Policy and Ethics, told the LA Times that TelaDoc is “totally unethical and inappropriate.”

TeleDoc says that while it is not trying to replace primary care physicians, it is able to assist patients with 75% of the issues that necessitate a visit to the doctor.

To get around the state-by-state-medical-license issue TelaDoc has contracted with doctors in every state. For the ones that require a face-to-face examination, TelaDoc will send a technician to check temperature, blood pressure and weight and to conduct a videotaped interview for the doctor's review.

[via LA Times]