[Skip to the answer](#main)

[Care, with questions.  An injury recovery guide](/)

[Browse questions](#topic-map) [Take a question list](/ask-a-clinician/)

An injury visit starts with questions

# Injury recovery telehealth:     care from a distance.

Telehealth means getting care from a doctor or another health professional by video or messages. Start with questions about your injury, any proposed medicine and the cost.

 [Could a remote visit fit?](/before-you-start/)

Start with   your question.

## What are you trying to work out?

The visit, the treatment or the bill: start with what matters to you today.

### Understand the visit

- [Before you start](/before-you-start/)

- [Check who gives care](/first-check/)

### Check what is offered

- [Question the claim](/fact-check/)

- [Read the fine print](/source-check/)

- [Know when to pause](/stop-signs/)

### Make a plan

- [Check the full cost](/cost-checklist/)

- [Take a question list](/ask-a-clinician/)

Before the sales pitch

## The visit and the treatment are separate questions.

A remote visit lets you speak with the person giving your care. The visit alone does not tell you whether a proposed treatment fits your injury.

As of September 26, 2026, U.S. doctors need a licence or other state permission covering the patient’s location.

Some states allow exceptions. Ask that state’s medical board whether your doctor is allowed to treat you. That board is the state office responsible for licensing doctors.

Use the state medical board directory below to find that office.

Ask who will assess you, what they need to learn, and what happens if they need to examine you in person.

 [Check who is giving the care](/first-check/)

## A useful answer can include “let’s look closer.”

The national group of state medical boards gives advice to doctors. Checked September 17, 2026, it recommends arranging needed tests or in-person exams, or sending you for that care.

This advice is not a nationwide law; each state sets its own rules, as checked September 26, 2026.

Before paying, ask who will arrange an exam if needed. Ask the state medical board what the law requires where you will be.

 [Bring a question list](/ask-a-clinician/)

## Open the source, check the claim.

- [U.S. health department: licences and your location](https://telehealth.hhs.gov/licensure/getting-started-licensure)

- [Find the office that licenses doctors in your state](https://www.fsmb.org/contact-a-state-medical-board/)

- [Advice for doctors: what remote care needs (PDF)](https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/policies/fsmb-workgroup-on-telemedicineapril-2022-final.pdf)

Keep the questions, leave the sales pitch: this guide offers information. This guide provides no clinical services and sells no medicine.

[Question map](/) [Print a question list](/ask-a-clinician/) [Read as plain text](/index.md)

A clearer question is a good place to begin.
