Questions before a care plan
A visit needs room for your questions.
Telehealth means meeting a clinician through a screen, a call, or an online exchange. Ask how the assessment and the follow-up would work.
The visit guidance below was checked on September 26, 2026.
For remote visits, the Federation of State Medical Boards permits care to begin if it meets the required care standard.
The federation advises state medical boards; its advice does not replace the law in your state. Under its policy, a set online questionnaire alone cannot take the place of assessing a patient. The clinician needs a way to follow up with more questions and collect enough information to decide on care.
The federation’s guidance also calls for room to bring more questions back to the clinician.
Ask what happens beyond the screen.
The federation’s policy says a physician must arrange needed tests or examinations, or refer the patient for them.
Ask what an in-person clinic plans to cover during your visit. For remote care, ask what the clinician can review beforehand. In either setting, ask what happens if the assessment points away from the advertised plan.
Notes for this chapter
- Medical boards on remote assessments
This policy is guidance for boards; it does not replace each state’s rules.
- Medical boards on patient questions
The follow-up question standard belongs to this prescribing guidance.
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