Word note / Telehealth
Care through a screen.
Telehealth means a care conversation at a distance. The useful question is whether it can answer the concern you bring.
What the visit may feel like
You might talk on video or by phone, or send information for a doctor or other treating health professional to read and reply to later. Ask how the visit works before arranging it.
Have your concern, medicine list and questions beside you. Ask who will read your information and how you can respond.
Does an online form count as care?
A fixed form alone is not enough if it cannot gather the information needed to assess you, says medical-board guidance checked September 26, 2026. Medical-board telehealth guidance
Your location is part of the check
When the visit takes place, your doctor or other treating health professional must be legally allowed to practise in the state you are physically in. That means a licence or another legal form of permission, says HHS guidance checked September 26, 2026. HHS guidance on licences
The initials HHS refer to a US department: the Department of Health and Human Services. Its guidance explains the general approach. Your state sets the rules that apply to your visit.
Rules for writing prescriptions online differ by state, as checked September 26, 2026. Medical-board telehealth guidance
Ask how an in-person need is handled
If assessing your concern needs a test or in-person examination, the doctor should arrange it or help you get it elsewhere. This is medical-board guidance checked September 17, 2026. Medical-board telehealth guidance
Is a prescription the point of the visit?
Start with the concern you want assessed. Ask what happens if the doctor recommends different care or needs more information.
Ask about follow-up, record sharing and any extra visit fees before you agree to the service.