Provider Code of Conduct

Telemedicine may be unfamiliar to some patients. Address patient questions with professionalism, patience, kindness, and sensitivity, regardless of how straightforward the question may appear.

Providers should help patients understand their treatment options and guide them toward an appropriate care pathway based on independent clinical judgment.

Provide clear and comprehensive explanations regarding clinical decisions and treatment recommendations.

Patients should understand the reasoning behind your medical guidance, including situations where you determine that a medication, treatment, or prescription is not appropriate.

Comply with all applicable follow-up protocols established within the Services.

When a patient requires additional monitoring, clarification, or follow-up, use the authorized messaging and communication tools available through the Services to communicate with the patient.

Maintain complete and accurate documentation of clinical decisions, evaluations, treatment recommendations, prescriptions, and patient communications.

Additional documentation is particularly important where:

• A system alert identifies a potential contraindication or clinical risk
• Additional information is obtained directly from the patient
• A treatment decision differs from a standard protocol
• A patient is referred for in-person care
• A prescription is declined or modified based on clinical judgment

The medical record should clearly support the provider’s clinical decision-making.

Providers are expected to monitor applicable patient communications and messages regularly.

If you anticipate being unavailable for more than 48 hours, notify the appropriate operational contact in advance so patient coverage and continuity of care can be maintained.

Urgent patient matters should be addressed promptly and in accordance with applicable clinical and emergency protocols.

Confirm patient identity using the identity-verification tools and processes available through the Services, which may include government-issued identification, photographs, and automated verification technology.

Providers should reasonably confirm that patient information corresponds with the identity documentation presented.

Providers must comply with all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, licensing requirements, and telehealth standards in the jurisdiction where the patient is located.

This includes satisfying any applicable requirements for establishing a valid provider-patient relationship before providing medical advice, treatment, or prescriptions.

Providers are responsible for practicing only in jurisdictions where they hold the licenses, registrations, or other authority required by applicable law.

Unless clinical urgency requires otherwise, providers should generally prioritize patient cases based on how long they have been awaiting review.

This helps maintain timely service delivery and a consistent patient experience.

Providers should devote their full attention to each individual patient consultation and complete an appropriate review before moving to another patient.

Providers should avoid unnecessarily intervening in an active treatment relationship being managed by another clinician unless:

• A second opinion has been requested
• Coverage or reassignment is required
• Patient safety requires intervention
• Another legitimate clinical or operational reason exists

A provider may determine at any time that telehealth is not clinically appropriate or sufficient for a particular patient.

This may occur when:

• Telehealth is no longer benefiting the patient
• The patient’s condition cannot be appropriately evaluated remotely
• The patient requires physical examination, diagnostic testing, or monitoring unavailable through telehealth
• The patient’s clinical circumstances require in-person treatment
• Continuing treatment through telehealth would not meet the applicable standard of care

In these circumstances, the provider should:

• Explain the recommendation to the patient
• Document the decision and clinical reasoning in the medical record
• Recommend appropriate in-person care
• Provide reasonable referral guidance when appropriate or requested

Carefully review the patient’s reported medications, supplements, medical conditions, allergies, and other relevant information for potential contraindications, interactions, and safety concerns.

Exercise appropriate caution when prescribing medication.

If information submitted by a patient is unclear, incomplete, inconsistent, or raises a potential safety concern, obtain additional information before making a treatment or prescribing decision.

When appropriate, providers should consult applicable clinical resources, collaborate with qualified colleagues, or recommend that the patient speak with their primary care provider or another appropriate healthcare professional.

Evaluate patients holistically and remain attentive to underlying conditions or concerns that may affect treatment.

Mental and behavioral health concerns should be treated with the same seriousness and clinical attention as physical health concerns when relevant to the patient’s care.

Providers should understand and follow applicable emergency and safety procedures for medical or behavioral health emergencies.

When a patient presents with symptoms or circumstances requiring emergency evaluation, providers should direct the patient to appropriate emergency services, including calling 911 or seeking immediate in-person emergency care when appropriate.

Providers should not attempt to manage an emergency solely through asynchronous telehealth communications.

Providers are expected to remain familiar with and regularly review:

• Applicable standards of care
• Relevant clinical guidelines
• Prescribing requirements
• Telehealth regulations
• Applicable federal and state laws
• Internal clinical protocols relevant to services they provide

Platform protocols do not replace a provider’s independent professional judgment or responsibility to comply with applicable standards of care.

Provider login credentials are confidential and must not be shared with any other person.

Providers are responsible for maintaining appropriate security over their account and immediately reporting suspected unauthorized access or credential compromise.

Patient information must not be improperly disclosed, copied, transmitted, stored, or discussed outside authorized systems and workflows.

Providers must comply with applicable privacy and security requirements, including HIPAA where applicable.

Protected Health Information (“PHI”) and other sensitive patient information should only be transmitted through approved, secure communication channels.

Providers should not access or discuss patient information in public or unsecured environments where unauthorized individuals may view or overhear PHI.

Providers should also take appropriate precautions involving:

• Computer and device screens
• Shared workspaces
• Public Wi-Fi networks
• Printed patient information
• Personal email or messaging platforms
• Downloaded or locally stored patient records

Patient safety and clinical appropriateness must remain the provider’s highest priority.

Clinical decisions must be based on the provider’s independent professional judgment and should never be influenced by:

• Compensation
• Sales objectives
• Prescription volume
• Patient conversion
• Business performance
• Pressure from Join Rise or any other non-clinical party

A provider should never prescribe a medication or recommend treatment solely because a patient requests it or because prescribing would create financial benefit for any party.

Providers retain sole responsibility for their medical decision-making.

Join Rise does not direct providers to prescribe any specific medication, approve any specific patient, or make any particular treatment decision.

Providers must independently determine whether:

• Treatment is medically appropriate
• Additional information is required
• A prescription should be issued
• A prescription should be declined
• Dosage should be changed
• Treatment should be discontinued
• The patient should be referred for additional or in-person care

Providers should not use their participation in the Services to improperly solicit patients for their private practices or unrelated commercial services.

Where a patient requires services outside the scope of the Services, providers should generally direct the patient to their existing primary care provider or another appropriate healthcare professional or facility.

Providers must not practice medicine through the Services while impaired by alcohol, controlled substances, medications, illness, fatigue, or any other condition that materially compromises their ability to exercise safe clinical judgment.

Providers are responsible for determining whether they are fit to practice before providing patient care.

Providers must promptly notify the appropriate clinical or operational contact of any material change affecting their ability or authorization to provide services, including:

• License suspension, restriction, expiration, or revocation
• Professional disciplinary action
• Government or regulatory investigations relating to professional practice
• DEA registration changes where applicable
• Loss or restriction of prescribing authority
• Exclusion from federal healthcare programs
• Medical board actions
• Malpractice-related restrictions that materially affect participation
• Any other event that may materially affect the provider’s qualifications or ability to provide care through the Services

Providers are responsible for maintaining all licenses, registrations, certifications, and professional credentials required to deliver the applicable services.