How to get a med marijuana card online using Telemedicine

MedCard Telehealth

Medical marijuana card telemedicine gives patients the opportunity to visit with a marijuana card doctor from your home using your smart phone, tablet, or personal computer. Online medcard telemedicine appointments have been adopted by most states since the pandemic, hey, bright side.

Virtual MedCard Telehealth appointments can be done without having to leave the house. No travel, gas, in person doctor office visit, or inconvenience. No need to leave the couch and your medical marijuana card will be issued after the doctors approval by the state. Qualified patients can get medical cannabis for the treatment of several qualifying conditions. See if you qualify today.

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States where online medcard telemedicine doctor visits for first time patients and renewals are taking place.

Medical Marijuana Card Telehealth Explained

  • Telemedicine facts such as which states permit medical marijuana patients to make appointments via telemedicine

  • Which states actually allow residents to get their medical marijuana card via telemedicine appointment

  • Benefits and drawbacks of using telehealth for MMJ appointments

  • Telemedicine and Medical Marijuana

Part 1 - What is Telemedicine?

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) which is under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines telemedicine as:

“… the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications.

Translating that from political speak into everyday English, as far as medical marijuana patients are concerned, telemedicine is the practice of consulting with a doctor either over the phone, or via internet audio or video conferencing such as Skype or Zoom, or a dedicated telemedicine platform such as Teledoc. 

Although your doctor can’t weigh you, take your blood pressure or temperature via  teleconference or video conference, these systems can go a long way towards helping doctors determine a patient’s physical condition and medical needs. And in some states that includes the need for a medical marijuana card. 

The biggest benefit of telemedicine is that it saves medical marijuana patients time and money while eliminating the possibility of exposure to coronavirus during a doctor’s visit.

Telemedicine policies vary from state to state. While some states are keen to get onboard the telemedicine wagon, others are being more cautious and taking it more slowly.

Common uses of telemedicine

Here are the most common reasons that people take advantage of telemedicine technology:

  • See a doctor about an emerging health issue 
  • Diagnose a disease or other malady
  • Get professional medical advice
  • Get educated about their medical condition
  • Initiate a pre-scheduled follow-up appointment
  • Get prescriptions renewed

Telemedicine, the early years

According to a report at MD Portal, telemedicine has been practiced since ancient times. In fact, claims the author, the history of telemedicine: “closely parallels the history of communication and information technologies.”

The report goes on to state that: “the key technical feature of telemedicine is being able to communicate medical data over a distance, and long-distance communication methods existed throughout human history.”

“Some forms of medical information can be communicated over distance just as easily as any other verbal information. (Or, depending on your outlook and the age of the technology involved, they can be communicated with the same level of difficulty.) In the past, information that a new sovereign was crowned can be sent over the same long-distance communication medium as a warning about a dangerous disease outbreak.” — MD Portal

Around 500 BCE, in ancient Greece and Rome, there were typically open lines of communication between cities and states. Of course, we’re using the term “lines” metaphorically here. The information was transferred via a human messenger and not via telecommunications technology. 

Although the practice was far slower, the effect was the same — a patient’s medical condition was relayed to a medical expert in another area who would then write up potential diagnoses and medical advice and send it back with a courier. 

Believe it or not, there is also evidence that communication methods such as smoke signals and light reflection, were used to communicate the condition of injured or sick patients, births, deaths, and so forth, especially in military settings. 

The rise of Telemedicine 1.0

Much later, as electronic communications systems emerged, systems such as the telegraph and the telephone became the preferred method of communicating with medical professionals from a distance. 

The idea of telemedicine first appeared in the April 1924 issue of Radio News magazine. Amazingly, the report illustrated a patient meeting with a doctor via television and a telephone. Even more amazingly, the display included health data such as the patient’s temperature and pulse.  

What makes this so amazing is that, although TV had been invented at the time, the technology had not yet made it into the homes of Americans. If fact, radios and radio shows were only just becoming available at the time. 

The actual transmission of medical data and images did not begin in earnest until the late 1950s. Neurological examinations, fluoroscopy images, x-rays, stethoscope sounds, and electrocardiograms (ECGs) began to be transmitted between medical professionals.

As telecommunications matured, and patients became more technologically inclined, the doctor-patient relationship went electronic. 

Telemedicine 2.0 is here

Today, medical patients have access to vast archives of medical information via the internet. Many use search engines such as Google to attempt to diagnose and treat their own medical conditions. As a result of this trend, more and more health care providers have begun to offer telemedicine services.

The current Golden Age of Telemedicine began when the internet came into public use in the 1990s. The Internet-enabled, lightning-fast transfer of any information of all kinds. 

Today, both patients and health care providers are much more technologically savvy. Meanwhile, doctors have the ability to share high tech info such as x-rays and scans, plus vital signs such as ECG, blood pressure, temperature, etc., and much more. 

Furthermore, many doctors now have access to a complete medical history stored in the cloud. 

That’s the history of telemedicine. We thought you might find that interesting. Now let’s get into the details of some of the more frequently asked questions about how to get a medical marijuana card via telemedicine, or to make a follow-up appointment, and which states allow the practice.

Part 2 - Medical Marijuana Telemedicine FAQ

In this section we’ll get into the details you’re looking for such as which states with medical marijuana programs permit the use of telemedicine, and whether or not they allow initial examinations to take place remotely.

NOTE: LAWS PERTAINING TO THE USE OF TELEMEDICINE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CONSULTATIONS ARE EVOLVING QUICKLY. 

THE LAWS IN YOUR STATE MIGHT CHANGE BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS. 

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOCTOR FOR CONFIRMATION.

Which states do not require a medical marijuana card in order to purchase cannabis products?

In certain state’s you don’t actually need a medical marijuana card in order to purchase cannabis products such as dried flower, cannabis concentrates, tinctures and oils, topical preparations, and so forth.

There is some good news and some bad news here. The good news is that 20 percent of US states now permit adults (usually age 21-plus) to purchase marijuana products without a medical recommendation. 

The bad news is that some of these states that are in lockdown have closed down their recreational marijuana dispensaries having deemed them non-essential businesses during the coronavirus crisis. 

However, some states are allowing either home delivery service for medical marijuana or curbside pickup, or both. 

While having access to recreational marijuana products can be a real life-saver in a pinch — and many are in a pinch at the moment — there are some downsides to medical patients not going through the medical system and buying recreational marijuana instead. 

For starters, minors are not permitted to purchase and use marijuana in any states outside of medical marijuana programs. In fact, the minimum age is generally 21. 

Secondly, if you are truly treating a medical condition, then you really should be doing so under the care of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider. 

Although not all healthcare providers are keen on the use of medical marijuana, if you are a medical marijuana patient, then you can most likely use telemedicine for follow-up appointments and card renewals at the minimum. 

These are the states that have legalized recreational marijuana:

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Illinois
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • Vermont
  • Washington

Currently, these 12 states allow home delivery of marijuana:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Florida
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • New Jersey
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon

Can I get a medical marijuana card via a telemedicine appointment?

Not in all medical marijuana states permit the use of telemedicine appointments for initial doctor-patient consultations related to medical marijuana. 

However, many US states have made it permissible for medical marijuana patients to be examined via telemedicine for follow-up appointments. 

The reason for this is that many states require patients to develop a bonafide doctor-patient relationship before the doctor is permitted to approve a patient for medical marijuana use. As a result, most states require the initial examination to take place in-person.

Some states make it clear whether or not an initial consultation can take place via telemedicine. In some states, however, it’s still not exactly clear whether or not a telemedicine appointment qualifies as a bonafide doctor-patient relationship. 

For example, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, and Washington expressly prohibit the use of telemedicine for an initial consultation. 

In states where it’s not exactly clear, you’ll have to do some research to find a medical professional who is willing to offer an initial consultation via telemedicine. 

A small handful of states with medical marijuana programs have so far expressly permitted the use of telemedicine appointments for an initial examination.

States that offer telemedicine appointments for an initial consultation:

The following states permit the use of telemedicine for an initial examination for a medical marijuana card. 

  • California
  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Nevada
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island

However, keep in mind that not all doctors in these states are on board with the practice. You’ll need to call in advance to find out or visit their website.

Which states permit the use of telemedicine for follow-up appointments and medical marijuana card renewals?

Here is a list of some of the states in which medical marijuana patients are permitted to schedule telemedicine appointments for follow-up visits and renewals. 

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Vermont
  • Washington

Again, it’s important to point out that not all medical professionals in these states are on board with the practice.

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