Definition of Visit
A visit is a face-to-face, telemedicine, or telehealth encounter between an FQHC patient and a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, visiting nurse, a qualified clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, other health professional for mental health services, dentist, dental hygienist, or an optometrist. Encounters with more than one health professional and multiple encounters with the same health professional that take place on the same day and at a single location constitute a single visit, except where one of the following conditions exist:
- after the first encounter, the patient suffers illness or injury requiring additional diagnosis or treatment; or
- the FQHC patient has a medical visit and an “other” health visit, as defined in paragraph (13) of this subsection.
A medical visit is a face-to-face, telemedicine, or telehealth encounter between an FQHC patient and a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or visiting nurse. An “other” health visit includes, but is not limited to, a face-to-face, telemedicine, or telehealth encounter between an FQHC patient and a qualified clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, other health professional for mental health services, a dentist, a dental hygienist, an optometrist, or a Texas Health Steps Medical Screen.
SOURCE: TX Admin Code, Title 1, Part 15, Ch. 355 Subchapter J, 355. 8261. (Accessed Jan. 2026).
A visit is a face-to-face encounter between an FQHC client and a physician, PA, NP, CNM, visiting nurse, qualified clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, other health-care professional for mental health services, dentist, dental hygienist, or optometrist. Encounters that take place on the same day at a single location with more than one health-care professional or multiple encounters with the same health-care professional constitute a single visit, except where one of the following conditions exists:
- After the first encounter, the client suffers illness or injury requiring additional diagnosis or treatment.
- The FQHC client has a medical visit and an other health visit such as a qualified clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, other health professional for mental health services, a dentist, a dental hygienist, an optometrist, or a THSteps medical checkup.
All services provided that are incidental to the encounter, including developmental screening, must be included in the total charge for the encounter. They are not billable as a separate encounter.