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Synchronous vs Asynchronous Good Faith Exams: Which Is Right for Your Med Spa?

In today’s regulatory environment, offering Good Faith Exams (GFEs) is not optional for aesthetic and wellness clinics; it’s essential. These exams are a legal requirement before prescribing medications or performing certain treatments. For med spas, understanding how to deliver these exams efficiently while staying compliant can be the difference between safe scaling and regulatory risk.

But not all Good Faith Exams are the same.

Two modalities exist, synchronous and asynchronous. Each serves the same regulatory function but differs in process, provider interaction, and clinic workflow. This blog will help you understand both formats and decide which type of Good Faith Exam is best suited to your clinic’s operations, patient base, and compliance protocols.

Medical provider conducting a synchronous Good Faith Exam via video call, ensuring compliant patient care for a med spa setting.

What Are Good Faith Exams?

A Good Faith Exam is a medical evaluation performed by a licensed provider to assess whether a treatment is safe and appropriate for a specific patient. This is particularly relevant for med spas offering treatments like Botox, GLP-1 medications, peptide therapies, and laser services.

Whether your clinic operates in California, Texas, or Florida, a documented Good Faith Exam is typically required before a prescription is issued or a procedure is performed. Failure to conduct a proper GFE can result in legal action, fines, and even license suspension.

Synchronous Good Faith Exams: The Live Video Approach

Definition:
Synchronous Good Faith Exams involve real-time, face-to-face interaction between the patient and the licensed provider via live video.

What It Looks Like in Practice:

  • Patient fills out a pre-evaluation form
  • They are routed to a video consultation
  • The provider conducts a visual and verbal assessment
  • If approved, the provider documents a Patient-Specific Order and initiates treatment clearance or prescription fulfillment

Benefits:

  • Real-Time Interaction
     Providers can ask clarifying questions and make observations immediately.
  • Higher Clinical Confidence
     Ideal for higher-risk procedures or first-time patients.
  • Better Patient Trust
     Some patients feel reassured seeing and speaking to a provider directly.

Asynchronous Good Faith Exams: The Form-Based Solution

Definition:
Asynchronous Good Faith Exams are conducted without a live conversation. Instead, patients complete a detailed medical intake form, which is reviewed by a licensed provider at a later time, usually the same day.

What It Looks Like in Practice:

  • Patient completes an online medical history and symptom form
  • Licensed provider reviews the case and documentation
  • If clinically appropriate, the provider issues a Patient-Specific Order
  • Treatment or prescription proceeds

     

Benefits:

  • Scalable by Design
     Enables your clinic to process more patients without increasing provider hours.
  • No Scheduling Required
     Ideal for patients who want quick access without video calls.
  • Cost-Effective and Efficient
     Shortens provider time-per-case, which can lower your per-consultation costs.

 

Limitations:

  • Not Ideal for Complex Cases
     May not be appropriate for nuanced conditions or treatments with visible concerns.
  • Requires Strong Clinical Protocols
     To ensure safety, your provider network must operate under clear documentation standards.
  • Patient Expectations Management
     Some patients may expect a video call, especially in traditional care settings.

     

Compliance Considerations for Both Modalities

Regardless of whether your clinic uses synchronous or asynchronous GFEs, the process must still generate a documented Patient-Specific Order (PSO). This order must include:

  • Patient’s history and clinical data
  • Treatment eligibility
  • Provider’s signature and license information
  • Documentation time stamps

Qualiphy’s GFE solution is built with 48-state compliance protocols, ensuring that whether live or form-based, every consultation results in a legally valid medical determination.

The Qualiphy Difference: Built for Both

Qualiphy supports both synchronous and asynchronous Good Faith Exams. You don’t need to choose one or the other. Instead, clinics can:

  • Route first-time patients to a synchronous consult
  • Automatically offer asynchronous follow-up or low-risk treatments
  • Customize by treatment type or patient profile
  • Track all consultation outcomes within your EMR or the Qualiphy portal

     

Every consultation through Qualiphy is reviewed by a licensed provider and documented with a legally compliant Patient-Specific Order. And with no monthly fees and a pay-per-use model, you scale on your own terms, without adding staff or overhead.

Key Takeaways

  • Good Faith Exams are a legal and clinical necessity, regardless of treatment.
  • Synchronous GFEs offer higher-touch, real-time care suited for complex or new patients.
  • Platforms like Qualiphy make it easy to implement compliant GFEs, without added admin burden or subscriptions.

Final Thoughts

Good Faith Exams aren’t just checkboxes for compliance; they are critical checkpoints for patient safety and legal protection. Choosing the right format can help your med spa deliver care that’s fast, compliant, and patient-first.

Whether your goal is to grow state-by-state, cut delays, or simply improve how you manage medical oversight, the choice between synchronous and asynchronous Good Faith Exams is a pivotal one.

With Qualiphy, you don’t have to choose; you get both, fully integrated and built for compliance.

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