1. Dignified and Respectful Treatment
Every person has the right to receive respectful, clear care in accordance with their health situation. Telemedicine care must maintain the same professional seriousness as in-person care.
Rights and Duties of the Patient
Remote healthcare must maintain a standard of respect, confidentiality, sufficient information, and clinical judgment.
Clinical approach: This page summarizes practical criteria for patients. It does not replace the official text of the regulations or the medical guidance provided during the consultation.
2. Clear Information
The patient has the right to receive an understandable explanation about their reason for consultation, diagnostic guidance, general indications, warning signs and steps to follow.
When prescriptions, orders, certificates or LME are issued, these documents must respond to medical criteria and what was evaluated during the consultation.
3. Confidentiality
Health history provided during medical care is confidential. The public website should not be used to publish or display sensitive clinical information.
4. Duty to Provide True Information
For safe care, the patient must report relevant history: symptoms, medications, allergies, previous illnesses, pregnancy, recent check-ups, available tests and important changes in their condition.
5. Limits of Telemedicine
Remote care can be very useful for medical guidance, check-ups, indications, background checks and issuance of documents when appropriate. However, there are conditions that require in-person physical examination, procedures, urgent imaging, or referral.
6. Emergencies
If symptoms are serious or life-threatening, you should go to an in-person emergency service or call SAMU 131. Telemedicine should not delay emergency care.
- Severe chest pain or difficulty breathing.
- Loss of consciousness, seizures or acute neurological signs.
- Significant bleeding, severe trauma or sudden onset intense pain.
- Suicidal ideation, risk of harm to self or others.
- Compromise of general condition in children, older adults or frail patients.
7. Medical Documents
Prescriptions, examination orders, certificates and medical sick leave certificate (LME) are issued only when they correspond to the evaluation carried out and meet the requirements of the applicable regulations. Its issuance is not guaranteed simply by booking or paying for a consultation.
8. Clinical Record and Access
The clinical record is a mandatory and confidential record. The provider must keep it for at least fifteen years and the patient may request access or a copy in accordance with Law No. 20,584, without prejudice to legal exceptions.
Official sources: Rights in health care and Rights regarding the clinical record.