Our providers are licensed to practice medicine in Colorado. Patients who live in another state are welcome to receive care at our clinic, but the patient’s physical location at the time medical care is provided matters.
Patients Who Travel to Colorado for Care
A patient may live in another state and travel to Colorado to see one of our providers.
When the patient is physically present in Colorado, our providers may evaluate the patient, review laboratory testing, make treatment decisions, and prescribe medications as appropriate under Colorado and federal law.
The patient may then return home and continue the treatment plan established during the Colorado visit.
Prescriptions and Refills
When appropriate, prescriptions and authorized refills can be issued as part of the patient’s Colorado visit.
For Schedule III and IV controlled medications, federal law generally permits up to five authorized refills within six months of the date the prescription was issued. Examples relevant to our practice include testosterone, which is Schedule III, and zolpidem (Ambien), which is Schedule IV.
Therefore, some patients receiving these medications may need to return to Colorado approximately every 3–6 months for reevaluation and a new prescription.
What We Cannot Routinely Do
If a patient is physically located in another state, a telephone call, video visit, medication change, new prescription, or other substantive medical decision may legally constitute the practice of medicine in the state where the patient is located.
Unless our provider is licensed in that state or the situation qualifies for a specific exception under that state’s law, we can not schedule an out-of-state telemedicine medical visit or promise that the provider can prescribe or change medications remotely.
Instead, we need to determine whether their state’s laws permit the provider to provide care while the patient is there.
A Simple Example
A patient who lives in Texas may travel to Colorado for an office visit.
During that Colorado visit, the provider can evaluate the patient and establish a treatment plan, including prescribing appropriate medications and authorized refills.
The patient can then return to Texas and continue that treatment plan.
If the patient needs another medical evaluation, a significant treatment change, or a new prescription and our provider does not have authority to practice in Texas, the patient may need to return to Colorado for the next medical visit.
What We Tell Patients
“You are welcome to travel to Colorado to receive care at our clinic. Because medical licensing is state-specific, our provider’s ability to provide medical care while you are physically located in another state depends on that state’s laws. If your care and prescribing are performed during your Colorado visits, you can return home and continue the treatment plan and authorized refills. When another evaluation or new prescription is needed, we may need you to return to Colorado.”
The key question is not simply “Where does the patient live?” It is “Where is the patient physically located when we are providing medical care?”
