Phone sessions
Audio-only telehealth visits where the patient confirms their location via SMS during the live call. The provider initiates the phone connection, sends the SMS verification link from the TeleVerify dashboard while on the line with the patient, and the patient taps the link to verify location in real time. Useful for patients without reliable broadband, Medicare audio-only parity states, and clinical workflows where video isn't appropriate or available.
Overview
Phone sessions cover the case where the encounter is voice-only. Because there's no browser session to anchor a real-time location check, TeleVerify is the SMS verification channel only — you enter the patient's cell number, TeleVerify sends them a one-tap location-confirm link, and the actual call happens on your existing phone. No DID provisioning, no carrier integration; TeleVerify is the compliance layer, not the voice service.
Phone sessions are subject to additional state-by-state nuance because audio-only telehealth isn't permitted everywhere, and where it is permitted, the reimbursement and consent rules often vary from full-video. TeleVerify flags state-specific audio-only limitations as part of the compliance check.
Audio-only telehealth is permitted in most states under specific conditions — most often parity-of-coverage rules tied to Medicare audio-only categorization. Some states require video unless an explicit barrier exists. The TeleVerify state-by-state page surfaces the audio-only rule for each jurisdiction.
Setup (one time)
Step 1 — Sign up. The standard signup flow at
/signup covers everything you need. There's no separate phone-session enrollment.
Step 2 — Confirm SMS reachability for your patients. Phone sessions rely on the patient receiving an SMS with the location-confirm link. Make sure your intake captures a cell number, not a landline.
Step 3 — Confirm compact enrollments. Same as any other medium — mark every interstate compact you're actively enrolled in.
No DID provisioning needed. You bring your own phone — office line, cell, or HIPAA-compliant voice service of your choice. TeleVerify handles the compliance check; you handle the call.
Starting a session
- From the dashboard, open the phone-session modal (it's launched from the unified session launcher on the overview card).
- Enter the patient's cell number. The "Send SMS to patient" checkbox is on by default.
- Click Create Session. TeleVerify creates the session, sends the patient an SMS with a tap-to-confirm link, and shows you a waiting screen with the join link.
- Place the call from your own phone (office line, cell, or HIPAA-compliant voice service of your choice — TeleVerify doesn't dial for you). While you're on the line, the patient taps the SMS link to verify their location.
- The status updates in your dashboard in real time. For a compliant result you'll see a Session Completed button; for a non-compliant result you'll see both Continue Session (with the exception documented) and Discontinue Session options.
- Click your chosen outcome. The signed Compliance Verification Record is generated.
TeleVerify is the compliance layer, not the voice carrier. You bring your own phone — the dashboard captures the compliance signal; the call itself happens on your provider line.
Patient experience
- The patient receives a brief SMS, e.g.: "Dr. Smith is calling for your telehealth visit. Please confirm your location for compliance: [link]."
- They tap the link. A short branded page opens in their phone's browser.
- They tap Use my location (GPS) or enter their state by name.
- The page shows a brief confirmation and asks them to wait for your call.
- You call. The visit proceeds normally.
If the patient didn't receive the SMS, re-send from the dashboard. If the patient genuinely can't complete the verification flow during the call (no phone with a browser, no SMS reception), the session will remain unverified — the dashboard captures that state in the audit trail. There is no free-text "I attested verbally" override in TeleVerify; verification has to come from the patient tapping the link on their own device.
Emergency Patient Address (EPA)
EPA is the GPS-confirmed location flow you can invoke from any non-compliant result on any session. It's not a per-org or per-provider toggle — it's a per-session affordance available everywhere TeleVerify shows a non-compliant status. Use it when you need a hardened location signal (e.g., suicidal ideation, safety check, high-acuity follow-up): the patient receives a one-time link that requires GPS confirmation (no address fallback). Raw coordinates are purged within four hours; only the resolved state is preserved in the signed record.
EPA is on-demand only — it's never enabled silently and the patient is always prompted to consent.
What happens during the compliance check
In-session decision point. TeleVerify verifies patient location during the live phone call — the SMS verification link is sent while you're on the line with the patient, and the patient taps it in real time. After the verification result arrives in your TeleVerify dashboard, you decide — within seconds — whether to Continue Session or Discontinue Session. The session timeline (start time, location verified time, decision time, end time) is captured in the signed Compliance Verification Record.
Same engine as the other mediums. For phone specifically:
- Location signal source: SMS-link GPS confirmation (primary) or address-confirm (fallback). EPA can be invoked from any non-compliant result for a higher-stakes encounter.
- Licensure, compact coverage, OIG screen run in parallel.
- The check also evaluates whether the patient's state permits audio-only telehealth for the kind of visit you're running. If the state has a more restrictive audio-only rule, the status reflects that.
- The signed record captures the source of the location signal (e.g., "SMS-GPS" vs. "SMS-address" vs. "EPA") so an auditor can see how location was confirmed.
Common issues
The patient didn't get the SMS.
Most commonly the number is a landline or a number that's blocked short-code messages. Confirm the cell number, then re-send. If you can reach the patient by email, you can also paste the verification link into an email and have them tap it from their phone.
The patient tapped the link but never confirmed.
They may have been distracted, or their browser blocked location access. Re-send the link, or walk them through the confirm flow while you're on the line. If the patient can't complete verification at all, the session stays unverified and the audit trail reflects that — there is no provider-side text override.
The state I'm calling into doesn't allow audio-only — what do I do?
The compliance check will flag this during the live call, the moment the patient verifies their location and the status returns. You have two choices: switch the session to video, or document the clinical reason audio-only is necessary (broadband barrier, patient with disability that precludes video, etc.) and choose Continue Session under that exception. The clinical-reason override is captured in the signed record.
Can I use phone sessions for controlled-substance prescribing?
Maybe — DEA rules and state overlays both apply. Many states either prohibit audio-only prescribing of controlled substances or require an in-person visit within a defined window. TeleVerify's compliance check flags these constraints state-by-state, but the clinical decision is yours.
Do you provide a phone number I can give patients?
No. TeleVerify is the compliance layer, not a voice carrier — you keep your existing provider line. We don't issue phone numbers to providers.
Reference information — not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your compliance officer, state licensing board, or a telehealth attorney before relying on this for clinical or business decisions.