A guide to care choices
A video call, an online exchange or a room visit?
The format tells you how the conversation happens. Ask what information the clinician needs, and how you can ask questions back.
What would each format feel like?
| Format | The exchange | Ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Live video | You speak and listen at the same time through a screen. | Time for your questions, and what happens if the connection fails. |
| Online exchange | You send information; the clinician reviews and replies later. | Who reviews it, how follow-up works and how long a reply takes. |
| In a room | You meet the clinician in person. | What is included in the visit and how to follow up afterwards. |
Is a form alone enough?
The Federation of State Medical Boards advised, as of September 26, 2026, that a fixed online questionnaire by itself was not enough for care.
That advice allows for an online conversation where the clinician can ask more questions and collect the information needed to assess you.
This is advice to help state medical boards write rules, not a law for every state. Ask who reads your answers and how they can ask you more questions before deciding on care.
Are the rules the same everywhere?
As of September 26, 2026, states differed on online prescribing and on the kinds of remote assessment they allowed.
For example, California allowed a questionnaire to serve as the assessment before prescribing as of September 26, 2026, provided the clinician still met the required standards of care for the patient.
As of September 26, 2026, Idaho did not allow a clinician to base treatment or a prescription only on answers to a fixed online questionnaire.
In California, a questionnaire could count as the assessment, but only if it gave the clinician what was needed for proper care. In Idaho, that fixed form alone could not be the whole assessment. Ask what your assessment needs to cover, then check the rules that apply wherever you will be during the visit.
How can I prepare?
- Write the memory concern in a few plain sentences.
- Have the full name of any proposed product ready.
- Bring a list of medicines and other care you want to discuss.
- Keep space to note answers and the next point of contact.
Where can I read more about online assessments?
- Medical boards: advice on online assessment
Explains why the clinician needs to be able to ask more questions, rather than rely only on a fixed form. This is advice for state boards, not a state law.
- California: assessment before prescribing
A questionnaire can count as the assessment before prescribing only if the clinician can still provide proper care for that patient.
- Idaho: prescription-order rules
A fixed form alone cannot be the whole basis for treatment or a prescription. Ask how the clinician will gather any other information needed.