Running a successful med spa, whether you're in Texas, Pennsylvania, or anywhere else, means balancing safety, compliance, and building a loyal patient base.
So before you perform an aesthetic treatment like Botox, fillers, or laser therapy, there’s one fundamental step that needs to happen to make sure it’s done safely and legally.
We’re talking, of course, about the Good Faith Exam (GFE). In this article, we’ll cover what it is, when it’s required, and why it matters for safe and compliant care.
Why good faith exams matter
Before any medical treatment, it’s standard practice to assess a patient’s health and make sure they understand the risks. That’s what a Good Faith Exam does. It protects patient safety and ensures they can give proper consent.
Here’s a closer look at the three key reasons GFEs are a legal requirement.
1. Risk reduction
A GFE helps you understand your patient’s health before treatment begins. It gives your team the chance to review their medical history, spot any red flags, and decide if they’re a safe candidate for the procedure. This step is key to reducing the risk of complications, especially if the patient has conditions or medications that could affect the outcome or cause them harm.
2. Consent
GFEs give patients the chance to ask questions, understand their options, and get clear on what results they can expect or side effects.
This process ensures they can give informed consent, meaning they fully understand the treatment and what it involves before agreeing to proceed.
3. Compliance
Med spas are legally required to conduct GFEs before performing medical treatments. Keeping clear documentation of each exam helps ensure compliance, protects your patients, and reduces legal risk for your business.
Who conducts a good faith exam?
A GFE must be performed by a qualified medical professional. This can be done directly by a physician, or by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant working under physician supervision. While the exact requirements vary by state, in Texas and Pennsylvania, supervision by a licensed physician is mandatory. These licensed healthcare providers are trained to spot red flags and recommend safe options based on your medical history and current health.
At Fresh Clinics, your GFEs are made simple and efficient, with medical oversight from the top aesthetic professionals in the USA. Learn more.
What happens during a GFE?
If you're opening a med spa or simply want to know what a proper Good Faith Exam should include ahead of your next appointment, here's an overview of the process.
1. Medical history review
Providers typically begin their GFEs by reviewing the patient’s medical history, including allergies, medications, past procedures, and any existing health conditions. This step is essential to identify any potential risks before treatment begins.
2. Physical or virtual exam
Depending on your state laws, the GFE may be done in person or via telehealth. In both Texas and Pennsylvania, either can be carried out.
During an in-person exam, the provider may check vital signs, assess skin condition, or physically examine the treatment area to make sure it's safe to proceed. In a virtual exam, the provider will visually inspect the patient over video, ask targeted health questions, and look for any visible concerns, such as skin issues, signs of infection, or anything that may affect the outcome of the treatment. The goal is to confirm the patient is in good health and a suitable candidate for the procedure.
3. Personalized treatment planning
Based on the results of the GFE, you’ll receive treatment recommendations that are tailored to your specific circumstances. This step helps to ensure that your customized treatment plan will be safe and effective.
In-person vs virtual GFEs
Depending on your state, Good Faith Exams can be done either in person or through telehealth. In places like Texas and Pennsylvania, both are permitted, but the process still needs to meet clinical standards. Choosing between the two often comes down to your setup, the treatment type, and what works best for your team and patients.
Here’s how they compare:
In-person GFE: The provider can check vital signs, assess skin and treatment areas, and ask questions face-to-face.
Virtual GFE: Done via video call, the provider visually assesses the patient, asks targeted health questions, and looks for any red flags that could impact treatment.
In both cases, you’ll want to record the assessment, treatment decision, and provider details clearly to show you’ve met medical and legal requirements. This protects your business and ensures patient care is fully traceable.
What are the benefits of a good faith exam?
Good Faith Exams (GFEs) offer a wide range of benefits, and they don’t just apply to patients. They can also be advantageous to providers and med spa owners. At their core, a GFE helps to create a safer, more transparent, and compliant environment for these medical aesthetic treatments to take place.
Here’s how they do that:
1. Enhanced patient safety
The number one priority in any medical spa should be patient safety. A GFE helps providers identify potential contraindications, underlying medical conditions, or medications that could interfere with treatment. By thoroughly assessing a patient’s medical history and current health status, providers can recommend effective and safe treatments to reduce the risk of complications or adverse reactions.
2. Improved patient trust and satisfaction
When patients know that a licensed medical professional is reviewing their case before treatment, it helps to build their trust. The GFE gives patients a chance to ask questions, receive honest feedback, and feel confident about their decision. This transparency often leads to a higher level of satisfaction and can build stronger provider-patient relationships.
3. Better treatment planning
A GFE lays the groundwork to create a customized treatment plan specifically for the individual’s unique needs and health profile.
It helps to ensure the treatment is appropriate for the patient’s goals and physical condition. This, in turn, leads to better outcomes and more consistent results.
4. Regulatory compliance
In many states, including Texas and Pennsylvania, a Good Faith Exam is legally required before you can perform certain procedures.
Having a clear GFE process in place and following it consistently helps ensure your med spa stays compliant with state medical board regulations and accepted standards of care.
5. Potential prevention of board investigations
By completing and documenting a proper GFE, providers can demonstrate that they have taken the necessary steps to evaluate and protect their patients.
All of these steps reduce the risk of complaints or investigations from state medical boards, and most importantly, they help keep your patients safe.
State-specific considerations
Good Faith Exam (GFE) requirements vary across the U.S., so it’s important to understand the laws in your state. Here are some examples of how the law can vary based on the state you're operating in:
- Texas: GFEs are mandatory before any medical treatment. They can be done in person or via telehealth and must be performed by a licensed professional or supervised by a physician.
- Pennsylvania: Similar to Texas, GFEs must be conducted under physician oversight before medical treatments are performed.
- Illinois: Requires in-person GFEs for certain treatments, particularly injectables and laser services.
- Florida: A physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant can do the GFE.
- New York: GFEs are required as part of safe, compliant care. However, the physicians need to own their medical practice.
No matter the state, proper documentation is a non-negotiable for compliance and patient safety.
When is a good faith exam required?
Establishing initial contact with a new patient? Proposing a new treatment plan or significant changes? Noticing a significant time lapse since the last treatment or change in health status? These are scenarios where a GFE becomes non-negotiable. To ensure continuous safety, follow-up GFEs are recommended at least annually for every patient.
Ensuring patient safety in your med spa involves adhering to regulatory requirements that establish a framework for safeguarding patient well-being. Following these guidelines not only creates a secure treatment setting but also ensures med spas comply with healthcare standards designed to uphold ethical and safe practices.
What treatments require a good faith exam?
Any aesthetic procedure in Texas and Pennsylvania (as well as many other states in the USA) that’s considered medical usually requires a GFE. That includes:
- Injectables like Botox or dermal fillers
- IV hydration or vitamin therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Laser treatments and other medical aesthetics services
Essentially, if your prospective treatment involves a needle, prescription drug, or regulated device, you’ll likely need a GFE first.
How Fresh Clinics supports the GFE process
Fresh Clinics was started by industry professionals, so we understand what it’s really like to run a med spa. Finding the right physicians while staying compliant, efficient, and focused on patient care isn’t always easy.
That’s why we make the GFE process easier, with:
- Access to experienced medical directors
- Support from trained providers and clinicians
- Seamless virtual or in-person GFEs
- Documentation that keeps you audit-ready
- A smoother, safer experience for both patients and providers
Whether you're starting out or looking to grow an established med spa, we’ll help you stay compliant so you can focus on what matters most: your patients.
In summary
Overall, a Good Faith Exam should be seen as the foundation on which safe, ethical, and legally sound care is provided in the world of medical aesthetics. As med spas grow in popularity, GFEs ensure that patients receive proper medical evaluations. At the same time, it also helps providers stay within the boundaries of legislated practice. For any provider who wants to deliver high-quality care to their patients, GFEs are a vital part of the process.
Ready to simplify your GFE process?
Fresh Clinics offers the tools and clinical support you need to stay compliant, deliver better care, and grow your med spa with confidence.
Reach out to our team today to learn more about how our spa compliance solutions can help you. Contact Fresh today!
FAQs
Is a Good Faith Exam the same as a regular consultation?
No. While both may involve discussing your goals, a Good Faith Exam is a formal medical evaluation performed by a licensed healthcare provider. It involves reviewing your medical history, assessing your current health, and determining your eligibility for specific aesthetic treatments.
Do I need a GFE before every medical procedure at a med spa?
Yes, in most cases. GFEs are required before treatments like injectables, hormone therapy, and IV therapy to ensure safe and effective care based on your current health status.
Can a GFE be done virtually?
In many states in the USA, including Texas and Pennsylvania, where we operate, virtual good faith exams are allowed. However, these remote assessments still require a review of patient evaluations and a visual medical assessment conducted by a licensed medical provider.
What’s reviewed during the GFE?
The provider looks at your medical conditions, current medications, allergies, and any potential risks related to your requested treatment. They will then offer treatment recommendations tailored to your health and goals.
Why is it important for providers to follow the GFE process?
Following the GFE process helps to ensure patient safety and avoid legal issues. In addition, it supports ethical care standards that are being met, especially in exams in medical spas where oversight is crucial.