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Telephone Medical Advice Services

Any business that employs, contracts or subcontracts with the full-time equivalent of five or more persons who function as health care professionals whose primary function is to provide telephone medical advice, may not provide such advice to a patient at a California address unless the business is registered with the Telephone Medical Advice Services Bureau. (Business and Professions (B&P) Code Section 4999(a)) This includes businesses located inside and outside the state of California, and includes staff licensed as a marriage and family therapist or as a licensed clinical social worker. Medical advice means “a telephonic communication between a patient and a health care professional in which the health care professional’s primary function is to provide to the patient a telephonic response to the patient’s questions regarding his or her or a family member’s medical care or treatment. “Telephone medical advice” includes assessment, evaluation, or advice provided to patients or their family members.” (B&P Code Section 4999.7(b))

Please note: Those individuals who offer telephone medical advice services incidental to their primary practice are not required to register. In addition, businesses with a significant total number of charity or medically indigent patients may be exempt from the registration fee, although they must register.

For more information, visit the Telephone Medical Advice Services website.

Updated: May 7, 2007