Choose how to have the conversation.

Choose a setting you can use.

You can start your search with an in-person clinic or with telehealth: care given through video, phone, or online messages.

For each option, ask how you will speak with the person treating you. Ask how your health records are shared and how a later question gets answered.

For an in-person visit, ask how your health will be assessed. For an online visit, ask when you would need to see someone in person for an examination.

Match the setting to the assessment.

Medical-board advice checked in September 2026 requires an online visit to be just as thorough as a visit in person.

The guidance requires the treating person to arrange any tests or an in-person exam that are needed, or refer the patient to another person who can provide that care.

Ask how that would work before choosing the service. A convenient start is useful only if the next step is clear.

Confirm your location for the visit.

As of September 2026, HHS advice requires online care to come from a person licensed or otherwise legally allowed to practise in the patient’s state.

HHS is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Confirm the state where you will be at the time of the visit, including while travelling.