Telehealth Code of Conduct and Patient Behavior Expectations
Some people don’t have basic decency or decorum, so we needed to make this policy to tell people how to act, dress, and behave on a video visit.
Telehealth offers tremendous convenience by allowing patients to receive medical care from almost anywhere. However, the convenience of virtual care does not change the expectation that every appointment is a professional medical encounter. Just as patients are expected to behave appropriately during an office visit, the same standards apply during a telehealth appointment.
The overwhelming majority of our patients are respectful and professional during their appointments. However, because telehealth allows patients to connect from virtually anywhere, we have occasionally encountered situations involving inappropriate attire, distracting environments, or behavior that would not be acceptable in a traditional medical office. To ensure every appointment remains safe, respectful, and productive, APNS has established the following Telehealth Code of Conduct outlining expectations for patient behavior, dress, and participation during video visits.
While these expectations may seem like common courtesy to most people, experience has shown that clearly defining them helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that every patient, provider, and staff member is treated with dignity and respect. The following guidelines describe what patients can expect from us and what we ask of our patients in return regarding appropriate behavior, attire, surroundings, and participation during a telehealth visit.
- NO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ARE PRESCRIBED. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Abuse to providers will not be tolerated. The provider is here to help you and ensure you are getting the safest and most appropriate treatment. This is most often based on empirical evidenced based practice and the current Standard of Care. Making demands of the provider, being abusive or hostile towards the provider will not be tolerated. Abuse to providers will result in being discharged from APNS.
- Position yourself appropriately. Telehealth provides convenience for seeing a provider at home, and if you are not feeling well, it is understandable to want to be comfortable in bed. However, you are expected to at least sit up in bed and not laying in a pillow with your mouth mushed against it when you are speaking with the provider. The provider reserves the right to end the sync visit and the cancel the visit if you do not present yourself appropriately for your visit. There are no refunds.
- Present yourself appropriately. Your provider is not your family member, friend, romantic partner, or spouse. You are expected to be presentable when having a video visit. This means wearing clothes, not having low hanging shirts where breasts are visible, having a closed robe, and wearing underwear. If you are in bed, have the covers over you and wearing clothes. Additionally, you are expected to be in an appropriate place. Sync video visits will not be conducted while you are in the shower, sitting on the toilet, in the bath, in a pool, in a sauna or other such inappropriate place. The provider reserves the right to end the sync visit and the cancel the visit if you do not present yourself appropriately for your visit. There are no refunds.
- Be in a quiet place. During your appointment, you are required to be in a stable, quiet place where your provider can discuss your medical history and current concerns. Attending an appointment while driving, shopping, at a social function, or any other activity is not permitted and will result in your appointment being cancelled. There are no refunds.
- A video encounter may be required. Some states require a video with audio to be performed in order to be legally categorized and billed as telemedicine. The policy at APNS is that any sync visits are performed through a telehealth video with audio. APNS does not perform audio or phone only visits. No exceptions. If a telehealth video cannot be performed, the visit will need to be rescheduled or cancelled. Cancelled visits will not be refunded. It is your responsibility to be sure you have adequate internet or Wi-Fi connection for your appointment.
- Your Provider is not tech support. Your provider cannot give technology support advice. You should be familiar with the devices that you use to be able to connect to the video visit for your appointment. Have your phone app or desktop ready prior to your appointment. Time for your appointment will not be extended due to technical issues. The provider reserves the right to end the sync visit and the cancel the visit if you do not present yourself appropriately for your visit. There are no refunds.
- Have your medical history with surgeries, years, medications (name, dose, and frequency). In order to provide appropriate care, it is mandatory to have all of your information ready in advance. This will ensure that the provider can focus on your current concerns. Please be sure your Patient Portal is up to date.
- Be early. For scheduled sync visits, the medical provider is seeing patients in 15 minute intervals. If you are late, it may limit your time with the provider. Being 5-10 minutes early, ready and waiting for the provider to connect on video, gives you maximal time with the provider.
- Only one (1) new medical concern can be addressed per visit. These are limited 15 minute visits and multiple, new or complex concerns cannot be addressed in such a minimal timeframe. If a patient has multiple established and stable issues and only needs refills or lab review with minor or no adjustments, then a total of three (3) medical concerns can be addressed in one visit.
- Async visit – One new or established uncomplicated issue based on the appropriate intake. Incorrect intakes will be cancelled, and the patient will be required to fill out the correct intake.
- Sync on Demand visit – One new or established uncomplicated issue based on the appropriate intake. Incorrect intakes will be cancelled, and the patient will be required to fill out the correct intake.
- Scheduled Sync – new or established uncomplicated issue based on the appropriate intake OR three established stable and uncomplicated issues.
- Specialty visit – Only the issue for which the specialty visit is for can be addressed. Unrelated issues will not be addressed at a specialty visit.
- Not all medical concerns can be addressed via telehealth. Some concerns may need to be seen in person or by a specialist. The provider has discretion to determine whether a medical concern can be treated during the encounter. If it cannot, that provider will make a referral to where treatment can be sought.
- Medical service provided does not always come in the form of a prescription. The provider has full discretion to determine if a medication is appropriate and necessary for a medical condition. Not being prescribed a medication does not mean you did not receive medical care.
- There are no refunds for missed visits or visits in which a prescription was not prescribed, or for visits cancelled by the provider at his/her discretion due to patient inappropriate dress, conduct, language, behavior or any other aggressive, harassing, or hostile act toward the provider.
A Shared Commitment to Consideration and Respect
At APNS, we believe that every patient deserves compassionate, respectful, and professional healthcare, and every member of our team deserves the same courtesy in return. Our Telehealth Code of Conduct is not intended to be restrictive—it exists to establish clear expectations that help create a safe, comfortable, and productive environment for everyone involved.
By participating in a Telehealth appointment with APNS, you acknowledge and agree to conduct yourself in a manner that reflects the same respect, professionalism, and courtesy expected during an in-person office visit. These standards allow our providers to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality medical care while protecting the dignity, privacy, and well-being of all patients and staff.
We appreciate your cooperation and thank you for helping us maintain a respectful healthcare environment where every patient can receive the attention and care they deserve.