Internal medicine physicians — internists — are the specialists in adult medicine. Unlike family medicine, which spans pediatrics through geriatrics, internal medicine focuses entirely on adults and trains deeply in managing multiple chronic conditions simultaneously. When people search "internal medicine doctor near me," they're usually looking for someone to manage their ongoing conditions, not to treat an acute fracture or childhood illness. Most of that work can now happen online.
What Internal Medicine Covers
The scope of internal medicine is broad. The conditions I most commonly manage via telehealth:
- Hypertension: The most common chronic condition in adults. Requires history, risk assessment, labs, medication titration, and regular follow-up — all achievable via telehealth. See our article on telehealth hypertension management.
- Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes: HbA1c review, medication adjustment (metformin, GLP-1 agonists, SGLT-2 inhibitors), and lifestyle counseling.
- High cholesterol / dyslipidemia: Lipid panel interpretation, ASCVD risk calculation, statin and non-statin therapy. See our cholesterol management guide.
- Thyroid disorders: Hypothyroidism monitoring (TSH, dose adjustment), hyperthyroidism follow-up (when labs are stable).
- Preventive care: Annual wellness review, cancer screening guidance (colonoscopy timing, mammography, PSA discussion), immunization review.
- Weight management: GLP-1 evaluation, obesity medicine counseling, metabolic risk stratification. See our GLP-1 comparison guide.
- Men's health: Testosterone review, ED evaluation (cardiovascular context), metabolic syndrome.
- Longevity medicine: Evidence-based longevity protocols — metformin, rapamycin (off-label), NAD+, optimization of cardiovascular risk factors. See our metformin longevity article.
What Requires an In-Person Visit
Telehealth has real limits. I refer patients to in-person care for:
- Any condition requiring physical examination to diagnose (abdominal tenderness, pulmonary findings, skin lesion assessment for biopsy)
- New chest pain or dyspnea — requires EKG, auscultation, and likely urgent evaluation
- Suspicion of malignancy requiring biopsy
- Complex medication initiations with safety monitoring requirements (e.g., clozapine, REMS medications)
- Procedures: joint injections, biopsies, Pap smears, vasectomy
- Acute infections requiring physical findings (pneumonia, cellulitis assessment)
If you're unsure whether your concern is appropriate for telehealth, schedule a consultation. The physician will tell you honestly if you need in-person care and provide a referral.
What a YourMD Telehealth Visit Includes
A standard new patient visit covers a full history of present illness, past medical history, medications and allergies, family history, social history (substance use, diet, exercise, occupation), review of systems relevant to your chief complaint, labs review if you bring results or we order them, clinical assessment, and a documented plan. The physician will explain the diagnosis in plain language, discuss the evidence for each treatment option, and give you time for questions. This is not a 5-minute async questionnaire reviewed by an NP.
Visit types: Video ($50), audio ($40), or chat ($20). For complex chronic disease management, video or audio is strongly preferred — nuance matters when managing multiple conditions.
How to Prepare for Your Visit
- Gather a current medication list (including over-the-counter and supplements)
- Know your most recent lab values if available (bring the PDF or type in the results)
- Write down your main concerns — the top 1–3 items to cover
- Have your blood pressure monitor if you have one; check and record your BP the morning of the visit
- Know your family history for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer
Most follow-up appointments for stable chronic conditions (BP check, statin monitoring, thyroid follow-up) take 15–20 minutes. New patient comprehensive visits benefit from 30–45 minutes.
States Where We Practice
YourMD is currently licensed in Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and Wisconsin. If you live in one of these states, you're eligible for telehealth internal medicine through our platform. We're actively pursuing additional state licenses — check back if your state isn't listed.