Identify your online clinician
Who is responsible for my care?
Find out who will assess your health and discuss treatment, such as a doctor. That person’s name gives you something useful to check.
Check the person behind the visit
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Get the full name
Ask who will assess you, what their role is and which state board holds their license.
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Use the board’s own record
Match the full name and license details. Check whether the license is current and whether the board has recorded penalties or formal charges.
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Say where you will be
Tell the service which state you will physically be in for the appointment, including when you travel.
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Match the name and the professional role
If the person treating you is not a doctor, ask which state board licenses that person. A doctor-only search may not cover them.
Can this care happen online?
For tirzepatide, federal law has no blanket rule requiring an in-person visit before a prescription.
State rules and the expected standard of care still apply.
Ask what assessment is needed for your situation and whether it can be completed remotely.
As of September 26, 2026.
The record worth checking
State medical boards publish whether doctors have a current license and whether they face formal charges or penalties from the board.
The amount of detail shown varies by state.
A record showing no penalties gives license information, but it cannot predict the quality of your care.
A state may license different kinds of doctors through different boards; find out which one holds your doctor’s license.
As of September 17, 2026.
The Federation of State Medical Boards lists links in its directory for reaching each state’s doctor-licensing boards.
As of September 17, 2026.
Health department guidance ties permission to treat you to your physical location: the state you are in for the appointment.
In some states, doctors with a license from another state can apply for permission to provide online care without obtaining a full local license.
Limited exceptions to the usual license rule can also apply, so ask the state board which rule covers your visit.
As of September 26, 2026.
If the name is missing
Ask for it before choosing the service. Keep the name, the board record and the person responsible for later questions in the same note. An answer about the company alone leaves the check of the person treating you unfinished.