Informed Consent for Telehealth Services

Medical emergencies

Do not use this service if you may be experiencing a medical emergency.

• Call 911.
• Go to the nearest emergency room.
• Contact your local crisis center.
• Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988).
• Text the Crisis Text Line (text "HOME" to 741741).

Who provides your care

MD Online Meds is not a healthcare provider or medical practice. As described in our Terms & Conditions, we may connect you with independent partner medical practices and their licensed providers, who are the ones who would deliver any healthcare services to you.

Always contact your provider or another qualified healthcare professional directly with questions about your personal health or medical conditions. Any medical advice you receive through telehealth comes from that provider, not from MD Online Meds, and is governed by this informed consent.

Partner medical practices will be named before enrollment opens.

Your provider’s credentials

Your provider’s credentials would be made available to you through the telehealth platform before your consultation. If you have questions about those credentials, direct them to your telehealth provider.

Where state law requires it, an explanation of the levels of regulation that apply to telehealth providers would be provided to you as part of the consent process.

Benefits and risks of telehealth

Telehealth means receiving care from licensed providers — including physicians and equivalent licensed professionals — through telecommunications technology rather than in person. Services may include chart review, remote prescribing, appointment scheduling, refill reminders, health information sharing, and non-clinical services such as patient education.

The electronic communication systems used are expected to incorporate network and software security protocols to protect the confidentiality of your information and to safeguard its integrity.

• Potential benefits: improved access to care from your home, more efficient evaluation and management, and access to specialist expertise where appropriate.
• Potential risks: delays in evaluation or treatment due to equipment or technology failures, and in rare cases, transmitted information of inadequate quality — which could require a rescheduled telehealth visit or an in-person visit with your local primary care doctor.

Confidentiality

At times, your provider may consult with other providers about your treatment to improve the care you receive. All team members are ethically and legally bound to protect your privacy, and your personal information will not be shared with anyone else without your consent.

Exceptions to confidentiality exist in certain situations, including:

• A threat of serious harm to yourself or others.
• Reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of a child, or abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an incapacitated or dependent adult.
• A court order or subpoena.
• Permission from you or your guardian (a signed voluntary release).
• Supervisory consultations between providers.
• Diagnosis and dates of service shared with a payor to collect payment, where applicable.
• Information released as described in our Privacy Policy.
• Other disclosures required by law.

Fees and billing

Prices are subject to change. Fees for telehealth services would be due upfront at the time of service. Services are expected to be cash-pay only — MD Online Meds does not currently accept insurance or bill governmental payors such as Medicaid or Medicare.

If you believe a fee you were charged is incorrect, you must contact us in writing promptly regarding the amount in question to be eligible for a refund. Final billing terms will be set out in the approved consent and payment terms before enrollment opens.

Laboratory products and services

Some services may require an at-home diagnostic test. These tests are provided by third-party laboratories, and neither MD Online Meds nor your provider can guarantee their accuracy or reliability.

Laboratory tests can produce false negative, false positive, or inconclusive results, and a failure or defect in a test could affect your provider’s ability to correctly diagnose or treat your condition.

What you would be acknowledging

When enrollment opens, accepting the informed consent would mean you understand and agree that:

• You consent to receiving services via telehealth technologies, and you understand these services do not replace your relationship with your primary care doctor.
• It is up to the provider to determine whether your specific clinical needs are appropriate for a telehealth encounter.
• You would have an opportunity to review your provider’s credentials before the consultation.
• Federal and state law requires healthcare providers to protect the privacy and security of your health information, and telehealth may involve electronic communication of your medical information to practitioners in other areas, including out of state.
• There is a risk of technical failures during a telehealth encounter, and you agree to hold MD Online Meds and its partner practices harmless for delays or information lost due to such failures.
• You have the right to withhold or withdraw your consent to telehealth at any time, without affecting your right to future care or treatment, and you may suspend or stop using telehealth services at any time for any reason.
• In a medical emergency, you will call 911 or use the emergency resources listed above rather than this service.

Status of this consent

This document is a draft prepared for review. The final consent language — including partner practice names, state-specific disclosures, and billing terms — will be confirmed by legal counsel before care enrollment opens, and you will be asked to review and accept that approved version at that time.