Can a referral be a starting point?
Ask a doctor or other health professional who knows your health history to discuss what you want help with. Ask what type of care might address it and what questions remain.
A referral can give the next conversation a clear purpose. Keep that purpose in view when comparing options.
What if I search directly?
You can compare care in person with telehealth, which uses an online form, a phone call or a video call.
Next, request both the clinician’s name in full and the name of any pharmacy taking part. Keep the replies so they can be checked.
What can public records tell me?
Doctors get their licences from a state body called a medical board. The board’s public records tell you if the doctor’s licence is still current and list any action it took because the doctor broke its rules.
Pharmacy licences have a separate record at the state board of pharmacy.
A licence record tells you whether a doctor or pharmacy has a licence. Those records do not show how well you will be cared for.
What can I ask before paying?
- Who would assess me?
- Can I ask that person follow-up questions?
- Which pharmacy will prepare or send it, and what is it called?
- What is included in the charge?
Where to read more
- The medical board route
A directory that leads to each board’s own public records.
- The pharmacy board route
The US Food and Drug Administration links to pharmacy licence searches for your state. A licence alone cannot tell you how well a medicine was made.
Plain word notes
- Telehealth
Care that takes place by video, phone or an online form.
- Compounding
A medicine prepared to order for an individual patient.