Table 1.

Differences in Type A and Type B relations

	Type A encounters (online interaction between patient and health professional in the absence of pre-existing relationship)	Type B encounters (bona fide relationship; encompasses traditional clinical encounters and telemedicine)
Contractual relationship before the encounter	No pre-existing relationship	Mostly pre-existing contractual relationship
Responsibility	Physician has not taken explicit responsibility for the patient	Physician has taken explicit responsibility for the patient
Contact initiation	Contact usually initiated by the patient	Contact scheduled or initiated by physician, or by patient
Transmission of information	Usually only text (e-mail consultations and chats)	Face-to-face, sound, video, images
Access to information	Information limited to what the patient provides	Physician has access to health record or other channels to obtain more information
Patient's knowledge of the physician	Patient doesn't know the physician in advance	Patient usually knows the physician or has a referral
Physician's knowledge of the patient	Physician doesn't know the patient	Physician usually knows the patient
Physician's preparation to receive requests from patients	Physician is not prepared to get requests from patients*	Physician explicitly offers advice

^* Does not apply to "ask-the-expert" services