Begin with what the assessment needs.
Medical-board guidance expects the standard of care to hold whether the visit happens remotely or in person.
Under that guidance, an examination or test needed for the assessment must be arranged, or the patient referred for it.
Ask what can be done during this visit and what might need a separate appointment. Compare that answer with your schedule and the questions you want time to ask.
Compare the practical questions.
Both visit notes are shown.
For licensed telehealth
- Will I speak with a doctor or other health professional during the visit, or send information for review later?
- What route can I use for questions after the visit?
- Where would I be sent for any needed exam or test?
- What permission does my treating professional hold for the state I will be in during the visit?
For an in-person clinic
- Who would conduct the assessment?
- Can the visit address the problem that led me here?
- Where would any later tests or visits take place?
- How would I reach the care team between visits?
Evidence note
A visit without a live conversation still needs a full assessment.
As of September 26, 2026, states set different rules for beginning remote care through forms, phone calls or other methods.
National medical-board guidance allows some visits where information is reviewed later, but the assessment and treatment must be as thorough as they would be in person.
That is guidance, rather than a rule that overrides your state.
Ask how your symptoms and history would be reviewed, how you could ask questions, and how any needed examination or test would be arranged.
Read the board guidance on remote care