Skip to main content

Consultations

Consultations in LifeWell connect you to verified health professionals — doctors, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, therapists, lactation consultants, fitness trainers, doulas — for paid 1-on-1 sessions delivered via in-app messaging. Each professional is identity-and-license verified; you pay per session in credits (LifeWell's prepaid currency); the messaging thread is encrypted and persists for your records.

This is not a replacement for in-person clinical care. It's a layer for the questions that don't quite need a clinic visit but benefit from a verified expert's input — feeding questions, postpartum check-ins, nutrition planning, mental-health support, fitness programme review.

Professional types​

TypeTypical scope
doctorGeneral medical questions, second opinions, prescription guidance (jurisdiction permitting)
nurseWound care, post-surgical questions, medication adherence
midwifePregnancy support, postnatal care, breastfeeding
nutritionistDiet planning, condition-specific nutrition, food sensitivities
therapistTalk therapy, CBT, mental-health support
lactation_consultantBreastfeeding troubleshooting, latch, supply
fitness_trainerProgramme design, form review, return-to-fitness
doulaBirth preparation, postpartum support

Each professional self-identifies a type and is verified accordingly. A doctor's verification includes medical-board licence number; a nutritionist's includes registered-dietitian credentials where applicable.

Verification​

Verification means LifeWell has confirmed:

  • Identity — government ID matches the professional profile.
  • Licence — current, active licence in their stated jurisdiction.
  • Credentials — listed qualifications are genuine.

Verified professionals carry a verified badge on their profile. Unverified profiles can't accept paid sessions (the platform restricts payments to verified pros).

Verification is renewed annually. A professional who lapses on renewal has their verified badge removed until updated.

Finding a professional​

The consultations directory lets you filter by:

  • Type (doctor / midwife / nutritionist / etc.).
  • Specialisation (pregnancy, chronic conditions, anxiety, etc.).
  • Language (so you can find a provider in your preferred language).
  • Years of experience.
  • Price per session.
  • Rating + total reviews.
  • Availability (in your time zone).

Tap a professional to see:

  • Full bio.
  • Specialisations.
  • Education + certifications.
  • Languages.
  • Availability schedule.
  • Rating + recent reviews.
  • Price per session (in credits).
  • Session duration.

Credits​

Sessions are paid in credits, LifeWell's prepaid currency:

  • 1 credit = $0.10 USD equivalent (subject to update).
  • Credits sold in packs (50 / 100 / 250 / 500 credits).
  • A typical consultation costs 50–300 credits (variable by professional).
  • Credits don't expire.

Credit purchase routes through the premium and payments module.

Booking a session​

From a professional's profile:

  1. Tap Book session.
  2. Pick a slot from their availability calendar.
  3. Confirm the cost in credits.
  4. (Optional) Pre-share context — recent vitals, symptoms, photos — from your LifeWell data.
  5. Confirm booking.

You can cancel up to a set lead time (typically 24 hours) for a full credit refund. Last-minute cancellations forfeit some credits.

The session itself​

Sessions are delivered via encrypted in-app messaging:

  • Encrypted end-to-end for consultation threads (different from regular chats, which are server-side encrypted but not E2EE).
  • Time-bound to the session duration (e.g. 30 minutes for a standard session).
  • Persistent — the thread remains after the session ends; you can reread your conversation later.
  • Media-supporting — share photos, audio, documents (lab results, prescriptions, journal pages).

The professional joins the thread at the booked time, you discuss, they provide guidance, the session closes when the time is up. You can extend by purchasing additional credits if both parties agree.

What the consultation does NOT do​

  • Doesn't prescribe medication across all jurisdictions — only in those where the professional is licensed and where remote prescription is permitted. The professional's profile states their prescription authority.
  • Doesn't replace emergency care. If you're in crisis, call emergency services. Consultations have a stated typical response time (24–48h) — they're not for emergencies.
  • Doesn't diagnose definitively in most cases. Diagnoses typically require an in-person exam. Consultations are for guidance, second opinions, and follow-up support.
  • Doesn't write you a sick note unless the professional's jurisdiction allows it and they choose to.
  • Doesn't accept insurance — fully out-of-pocket via credits.

Reviews and ratings​

After each session, you can leave a 1–5-star rating + optional written review. Reviews are public on the professional's profile. The professional cannot see who left a specific review (anonymous to them); the platform admins can (for fraud prevention).

Aggregate rating + total review count appear on every professional's card in the directory.

Professional onboarding​

For professionals who want to join the platform:

  1. Apply via the "Become a professional" link (verification process).
  2. Submit identity, licence, credentials.
  3. LifeWell verifies (typically 5–10 business days).
  4. Once verified, set up profile, availability, pricing.
  5. Start accepting bookings.

The platform takes a percentage (typically 15–20%) of each session's price as a platform fee. The remaining goes to the professional.

Privacy for consultations​

Consultations are among the most sensitive interactions:

  • End-to-end encrypted message thread (differs from standard chats).
  • Pre-shared health data (vitals, etc.) shared via the consultation interface is scoped to the specific consultation, not visible elsewhere to the pro.
  • Records — the thread is your record; the professional retains their own copy per their professional record-keeping obligations.
  • Not used for AI training, ads, or aggregation.

What consultations are not​

  • Not a clinic. No in-person exam, no labs, no prescriptions in most cases.
  • Not 24/7 emergency support. Response times in hours / days, not minutes.
  • Not insurance-billable. Out-of-pocket only.
  • Not a substitute for your primary doctor. A complement, useful for second opinions and convenience.

Frequently asked​

Are the doctors real, licensed doctors? The verified ones, yes. Each has a confirmed licence in their stated jurisdiction. Unverified profiles can't accept paid bookings.

How quickly will I get a response? Each professional sets their response time SLA. Most consultations respond within 24 hours of booking confirmation; the session itself happens at the booked time.

What happens if a professional gives bad advice? Use the Report mechanism on the session. LifeWell investigates and (if substantiated) removes the professional's verified status. Refunds for poor-quality sessions are reviewed case-by-case.

Can I see the same professional repeatedly? Yes — book follow-up sessions. The thread persists, so the professional has continuity from prior sessions.

Why credits instead of direct USD pricing? Credits abstract pricing across jurisdictions and currencies, allow promotional grants (e.g. a free 50-credit grant for new users), and simplify the per-session payment flow.

Last updated: 2026-05-11 Author: Ahsan Mahmood