Make a short note before the visit
Write down your goal in plain words.
Add the medicines and supplements you use, past treatment, allergies, and any reports you want the clinician to see.
Include breastfeeding, pregnancy or plans to become pregnant if any apply to you.
You do not need a polished story. A clear list is easier to talk through.
Check the clinician for where you will sit
September 2026 guidance requires a physician’s licence or other valid permission to cover the location from which the patient joins the visit.
Before the visit, request the clinician’s role and licence details along with their full name.
A state medical board publishes doctors’ licence status and public disciplinary records.
The absence of public disciplinary entries gives you no rating of a doctor’s skill.
If you will be travelling, ask about the place you will actually be, not just your home address.
Find the medical board for your stateCompare an online visit with an in-person visit
Choose a visit format to focus on the questions for that kind of care.
Showing both visit formats.
Online
Ask how the exchange works
Medical-board guidance checked in September 2026 permits an initial online visit when the care meets the standard required by that patient’s problem.
That means gathering enough health information and arranging an exam or tests when needed.
State rules can change which formats are allowed, as of September 2026.
Will we talk live, or exchange information at different times?
How can I send a question and get an answer?
In person
Ask what a room visit adds
Medical-board guidance says that when an online assessment needs a physical exam or other tests, the clinician must arrange them or refer the patient.
What needs to be checked in the room?
Who handles the next step if I need care elsewhere?
See the standards used for this comparison
The guidance sets an equal standard of care for visits in a room and visits online.
It gives boards advice to consider; it is not a national prescribing law.