Telehealth Primary Care in Florida: What You Can and Can't Do by Video

Since 2020, telehealth has shifted from a pandemic workaround to a permanent part of primary care. Florida has expanded its telehealth laws significantly, and most primary care needs can now be addressed by video or phone — without leaving home. But not everything. Here's an honest breakdown of what telehealth can and can't do, and how Meadow's telehealth program works for patients across Florida.

What Can Be Handled via Telehealth in Florida?

Florida's telehealth statute (Florida Statutes § 456.47) allows licensed healthcare providers to deliver a wide range of services remotely to Florida residents. At Meadow, we routinely handle the following via telehealth:

• Sick visits: Cold, flu, sinus infection, UTI, pink eye, minor rashes
• Chronic disease management: Medication adjustments, symptom check-ins, lab review for diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, anxiety, and more
• Prescription refills and medication management
• GLP-1 weight loss follow-ups
• Mental health support: Anxiety, depression management (primary care level)
• Lab result review and treatment planning
• Follow-up visits after in-person appointments
• Second opinions on symptoms or treatment plans

What Still Requires an In-Person Visit?

Telehealth has real limitations. The following generally require coming into the office:

• Annual physical examinations (auscultation, palpation, full assessment)
• Blood draws and in-office lab work
• Wound care, sutures, joint injections
• Initial GLP-1 weight loss evaluation
• New patient visits where a physical assessment is needed
• Any situation where your provider feels a hands-on exam is necessary

A good rule of thumb: if the visit requires Meriem to touch you, listen to your heart or lungs, or draw blood, it needs to be in person. Everything else has a strong chance of being handled by video.

How Meadow's Telehealth Works

Telehealth is included in your Meadow membership at no additional cost. You don't pay extra for a telehealth visit vs. an in-person visit — it's the same membership covering both.

Scheduling a telehealth visit is simple: text or call us, tell us you prefer telehealth, and we'll send you a secure video link. Visits are conducted through a HIPAA-compliant platform. Most telehealth visits take 15–30 minutes depending on the issue.

Telehealth for Ongoing GLP-1 Management

Our GLP-1 weight loss program uses telehealth extensively. After your initial in-person evaluation, all follow-up appointments for your weight loss program are conducted via telehealth. This means you check in with Meriem, review your progress, and manage your medication adjustments from home — without taking time off work or traveling to a clinic.

Is Telehealth Covered by Medicare?

Yes. Medicare covers a broad range of telehealth services, a policy that expanded significantly following the COVID-19 public health emergency and has largely been maintained. Medicare patients at Meadow can access covered telehealth services billed directly through Medicare.