Verify the person
Get a name. Check the licence.
Start with the person who would make the care decision. Ask for their full name, role and licence details before treating a badge as proof.
Check who would treat you
A doctor's licence comes from a state medical board, which keeps records open to the public. It records steps taken against a doctor for breaking rules, such as limiting a licence.
- For a doctor, open the state-board directory linked below.
- Choose the board for the state where care will take place.
- Match the full name and licence number, rather than just a similar name.
- Ask what any limit on the doctor's licence means for your care.
For online care, your location matters
As recorded on September 26, 2026, US health department guidance says treatment providers need a licence or another lawful form of permission for the patient's location during a telehealth visit.
- Tell the service where you plan to be during the visit, and name the state.
- Ask what permission that person has to treat patients in that state.
- Ask again if you plan to travel before a later visit.
- For care from a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, find out which state board oversees that role.
Keep the result in perspective
A record with no action against the doctor's licence means the board shows no such action in its public record. It does not tell you how good that person's care is.
- Keep a note of the record and the name you matched.
- Ask who takes over if that person is unavailable.
- Ask how to raise a question directly with the person treating you.
Sources for this chapter
Use these sources to check the answers above. Bring any questions to the person treating you.