The Electronic medical sick leave certificate (LME) issued through telemedicine in Chile has full legal validity before Fonasa, Isapres and COMPIN in accordance with the guidelines of the Superintendency of Social Security (SUSESO) and the Ministry of Health (MINSAL). It requires a synchronous medical consultation with reliable identity verification (current Chilean RUT) and clinical evaluation founded by an accredited Physician (SIS Registry No. 3636). The LME is processed automatically to the employer through official interconnected systems (IMED / Medipass).
The Electronic medical sick leave certificate (LME) has transformed the way in which workers manage their time off from work in Chile. Through telemedicine, it is possible to obtain this document completely remotely, as long as there is a justified clinical evaluation by an accredited professional.
In this article we explain in detail how the issuance process works, what the legal requirements of the Ministry of Health (MINSAL) are and how to ensure correct processing before Fonasa, Isapre and your employer.
Is it legal to issue a medical sick leave certificate (LME) through Telemedicine?
Yes, it is completely legal. The Superintendency of Health and the MINSAL validate the use of telemedicine technologies for medical care, diagnosis and subsequent issuance of legal medical documents, including the LME.
"Any Electronic medical sick leave certificate (LME) issued through a remote consultation has exactly the same legal and administrative validity as one granted in a physical consultation."
However, there is a fundamental factor that you must consider: The medical sick leave certificate (LME) is not an automatic purchase procedure. It is a clinical act derived from a detailed anamnesis and diagnostic evaluation. The Physician will only issue it if the patient's symptoms and state of health clinically justify rest from work.
Requirements for the Issuance of LME
For the process to be successful and comply with all COMPIN inspection regulations, the following minimum requirements are requested during the teleconsultation:
- Valid Identity Card: The patient must show their physical RUT to the camera during the video call to reliably verify their identity.
- Sleep Address: Indicate precisely the address where the rest will take place (it must match the legal records).
- Health insurance: Be affiliated with Fonasa or any Isapre active in Chile.
Technical note: It is not necessary to know your employer's RUT. By entering your personal RUT, the interconnected national medical sick leave certificate (LME) system automatically consults the current pension databases and instantly identifies the companies or institutions where you have an active contract.
How is the LME processed once issued?
Once the Dr. Dino González performs the clinical evaluation and enters the data into the official licensing system (such as IMED or Medipass), the flow is as follows:
- Notification to Employer: If your employer is enrolled in the electronic system, you will receive the license automatically. You don't have to hand in a physical piece of paper.
- Notification to Worker: You will receive a confirmation email with the license folio for your personal record.
- Employer Manual: If your employer still works with manual processing (which is rare these days), we will send you the receipt in digitally signed PDF format to send by mail.
Do you need a medical evaluation?
If you present symptoms of illness or require a health check, you can coordinate a general medicine consultation via telemedicine directly.
Coordinate Consultation by WhatsAppRemote Sleep FAQ
Can COMPIN reject a license issued by telemedicine?
COMPIN supervises all medical sick leave certificate (LME) in the country, both physical and electronic. If the license has solid clinical support and the patient completes their history sheet prior to the consultation, the risk of rejection is minimal, since they comply with established protocols.
Can a license be issued retroactively?
Chilean regulations establish that medical sick leave certificate (LME) must be issued on the same day the rest begins or, exceptionally, up to 24 business hours later. It is not possible to issue retroactive licenses several days old without a verifiable justification of hospitalization or force majeure.
