Telehealth Informed Consent

What telehealth is

Telehealth (also called telemedicine or virtual care) means receiving healthcare services from a licensed clinician using secure, real-time video and audio technology, and sometimes by phone, instead of meeting in person. Northtide Health currently provides care by telehealth.

Telehealth visits may include evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, counseling, medication management, care planning, education, and follow-up. Your clinician may also review information you share, such as photos, home readings (for example, blood pressure or glucose), and test results.

Expected benefits

• Convenient access to care from home, work, or wherever you are in Maryland
• No travel time, transportation costs, or waiting room
• Faster access to same-day care for many non-emergency concerns
• Easier follow-up and ongoing support for chronic conditions and behavioral health
• The ability to include family members or caregivers in your visit, with your permission

Possible risks and limitations

Telehealth is safe and effective for many health needs, but it has limitations. By consenting, you understand that:

• No hands-on exam. Your clinician cannot physically examine you, listen to your heart or lungs with a stethoscope, or perform procedures. Some conditions cannot be fully evaluated by video.
• In-person care may be needed. Your clinician may decide that telehealth is not right for your concern and recommend in-person care, laboratory tests, imaging, urgent care, an emergency room, or a specialist.
• Technology problems. Poor connections, equipment failure, or low video quality can interrupt or delay a visit, or limit the information your clinician can gather.
• Security risks. Although we use secure, HIPAA-compliant technology, no electronic system is completely free from the risk of unauthorized access or interruption.
• Information gaps. In rare cases, information transmitted may be insufficient (for example, a poor-quality image), which could lead to errors in medical judgment or delays in care.
• Not for emergencies. Telehealth is not a substitute for emergency care.

Eligibility, identity, and location

• Location. You must be physically located in Maryland during every visit. At the start of each visit, we will confirm your identity and your current location.
• Your address for safety. At the start of each visit, please tell us the address where you are. If an emergency happens during the visit, we may share this address with emergency services so help can reach you.
• Emergency contact. We will ask for an emergency contact. We may contact this person, or emergency services, if we believe you are at risk of serious harm and cannot get help yourself.
• Identity. We may ask you to show photo identification on camera.

Emergencies and urgent safety concerns

Privacy and who is present

• We use a secure telehealth platform whose vendor has signed a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement. Your telehealth records are protected the same way as all of your health information, as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Your clinician will conduct the visit from a private location.
• Please join from a private, quiet, well-lit space where you are comfortable speaking openly. If you are in a public place or a shared space, your privacy may be limited.
• At the start of your visit, the clinician will tell you whether anyone else is present on their side (for example, a trainee or interpreter), and we ask you to tell us who is present with you. You may ask anyone to leave at any time.
• Avoid using public or shared Wi-Fi, or devices that other people can access, when possible.

Recording of visits

• If we would like to record a visit — for example, for quality review, training, or to document a demonstration — we will ask you first, explain why, and record only if you agree.
• You may say no. Declining will not affect your care in any way.
• You may withdraw your consent and ask us to stop recording at any time during the visit.
• Any recording is protected health information. It is stored securely and used and disclosed only as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Likewise, please do not record a visit yourself (audio, video, or screenshots) without your clinician's agreement.

Care for children and teens

• We care for patients ages 1 to 99. For patients under 18, a parent or legal guardian must give consent for telehealth care and, in most cases, should be present for at least part of each visit.
• The adult consenting for a minor confirms that they have legal authority to do so (for example, as a parent or court-appointed guardian).
• Maryland law allows minors to consent on their own to certain services, such as care related to sexually transmitted infections, contraception, pregnancy, and some mental health and substance use services. In those situations, the clinician may speak with the minor privately, and information may be kept confidential as permitted by law.
• Clinicians often speak with teens privately for part of a visit. This is a normal part of adolescent care.

Behavioral health care by telehealth

• Counseling, assessments, and medication management for conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may be provided by telehealth when your clinician determines it is appropriate.
• Your clinician may create a safety plan with you, including who to contact in a crisis.
• If your needs require a higher level of care — such as intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, or inpatient care — we will help coordinate a referral.
• Northtide Health is not a crisis service. Between visits, if you are in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.

Prescriptions, lab tests, and referrals

• Your clinician may prescribe medications when clinically appropriate. Prescriptions are sent electronically to the pharmacy you choose.
• Some medications, including certain controlled substances (for example, some ADHD and anxiety medications), are subject to special federal and Maryland rules for telehealth prescribing. They may require additional evaluation, a signed medication agreement, regular monitoring, review of Maryland's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, or an in-person evaluation, and some may not be prescribed through telehealth.
• Lab tests are ordered to a participating laboratory near you. You are responsible for completing ordered tests and follow-up as recommended. We will share results with you through our patient portal or by phone.
• When you need care that we cannot provide by telehealth, we will refer you and help coordinate your care.

Technology requirements and connection problems

• You need a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera, microphone, speaker, and a reliable internet connection.
• You will receive a secure link before each visit. Please join a few minutes early to test your connection.
• If the video connection fails, your clinician will try to reconnect. If that does not work, we will call you at the phone number on file to continue the visit by phone, if appropriate, or reschedule.
• If we cannot reach you after a disconnection and are concerned for your safety, we may contact your emergency contact or emergency services.

Communication between visits

• For non-urgent questions, use our patient portal or call us during business hours. We aim to respond to non-urgent messages within 1–2 business days.
• Do not use the portal, email, or text messages for urgent or emergency needs.
• Standard email and text messages are not fully secure. We limit the health information we send through them, and you may ask us to communicate a different way.

Billing for telehealth

Telehealth visits are billed to your health plan or to you in the same way as other professional services. Coverage, copayments, and deductibles for telehealth vary by plan. Please review our Financial Policy for details, including our cancellation and missed-appointment policy. If you are uninsured or not using insurance, you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate.

Your rights

• You may ask questions about telehealth at any time, and have them answered before you consent.
• You may decline telehealth or withdraw your consent at any time, in writing or verbally, without affecting your right to future care or treatment. Because we currently provide care by telehealth, if you prefer in-person care, we will help you find an appropriate in-person provider.
• You may ask to stop a visit at any time.
• You have the same rights to access, amend, and protect your health information as with in-person care.

Your consent

By signing this consent electronically during intake, you (or your parent or legal guardian) confirm that:

1. You have read this Telehealth Informed Consent, or had it read to you, and you understand it.
2. You have had the opportunity to ask questions, and your questions have been answered.
3. You understand the benefits, risks, and limitations of telehealth described above, including that you may be referred for in-person care.
4. You will be physically located in Maryland during each visit and will provide your current address at the start of each visit.
5. You understand that visits may be recorded only with your consent, and you agree not to record visits without your clinician's agreement.
6. You understand that telehealth is not for emergencies and know to call 911 or 988 when needed.
7. If you are signing for a minor or another person, you have the legal authority to do so.
8. You voluntarily consent to receive healthcare services by telehealth from Northtide Health.

This consent remains in effect until you withdraw it. We may ask you to review and renew it periodically or when this document is updated.