How to get a legitimate doctor's note online

How to get a note from a telehealth visit

1. Check what your employer or school needs. Some want only dates of absence; others want a return-to-work date or limits on duties.
2. Book a visit with a licensed clinician, ideally by video, through your health plan, your doctor's office or a telehealth service.
3. Say at the start that you need a note, and what it must include.
4. Describe your symptoms honestly. The clinician decides whether a note is appropriate and what it says.
5. Get it in writing from the clinician or practice, with their name, credentials, contact details and the visit date.

Will my employer accept an online note?

That's your employer's call. A note from a real visit with a licensed clinician, with the details they ask for, is the strongest kind. A note usually includes:

• The clinician's name, credentials and a way to verify them.
• The date of the visit.
• The dates you were or will be unable to work, or a return date.
• Any work limits. Your diagnosis usually doesn't need to be on it.

Policies differ by employer and by state, so ask HR or check your handbook before you book.

FMLA and longer leave

For FMLA leave, a simple note may not be enough. The Department of Labor says an employer may require a medical certification, part of which a health care provider must complete. A medical diagnosis isn't required for certification.

Treatment can include a telemedicine visit if it meets DOL criteria: an exam, evaluation or treatment by a health care provider, allowed by state licensing authorities, and generally by video. A phone call, letter, email or text alone isn't enough to count as an in-person visit.

Notes to avoid

• Sites that sell a note with no visit, or promise a note no matter what.
• Templates you fill in yourself.
• Notes that list a clinician you never spoke with.
• Backdated notes for days you weren't evaluated.

If you're sick enough to miss work, make sure you get the care you need, not just the paperwork. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke or severe bleeding.

How Gabriel helps

Gabriel Core and Plus include unlimited virtual urgent care, plus unlimited virtual primary care, and Plus adds two in-person urgent care visits a year for when you need to be seen. If you need a note, tell the clinician at the start of the visit; they decide what's appropriate.