Every GLP-1 intake form is secretly a confession: it tells you exactly how much medicine the provider intends to practice. We compared intakes across the telehealth market against the clinical must-ask list. The spread is stark — some forms interrogate like a good internist; others are a checkout flow wearing a stethoscope.
Key Takeaways
- The five must-ask items: MTC/MEN2 family history, pancreatitis, current diabetes medications (insulin/sulfonylureas), pregnancy status/plans, and eating disorder history.
- Benchmarks: thorough intakes run 15–25 minutes with free-text medication entry and conditional follow-ups; rubber stamps run under 5 with checkboxes only.
- Conditional logic is the tell — a form that asks follow-ups when you flag something has a clinician's brain behind it.
- Grade any provider yourself before paying: count the five items, time the form, and try flagging something to see if the form reacts.
The Five-Item Safety Core
These map directly to contraindications and major risks, and their absence is disqualifying for the provider, not you:
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma / MEN2 family history — the boxed-warning contraindication. Non-negotiable.
- Pancreatitis history — the classic caution requiring individual clinical judgment.
- Current insulin or sulfonylurea use — hypoglycemia coordination; a form that doesn't capture your full med list can't do this.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or conception plans — universal stop requiring a timeline conversation.
- Eating disorder history — the screen that costs conversions and exists anyway at every provider that deserves your money.
Beyond the Core: What Thorough Looks Like
The strong intakes add: gallbladder history, GI surgery/gastroparesis, diabetic retinopathy, mental-health screening, alcohol use, and weight-history context — and they implement conditional follow-ups. Check "pancreatitis" on a good form and three new questions appear (when, cause, resolution); on a weak form, nothing happens, which tells you the checkbox feeds a spreadsheet, not a decision.
The Benchmarks
| Signal | Thorough provider | Rubber stamp |
|---|---|---|
| Completion time | 15–25 minutes | Under 5 |
| Safety-core coverage | All five, plus extras | 2–3, buried in a grid |
| Medication entry | Free text, clinician-reviewed | Checkbox list or absent |
| Conditional logic | Flags trigger follow-ups | Nothing reacts to anything |
| Clarification messages after submission | Common — a human read your chart | Never — approval in minutes |
That last row deserves respect: a post-intake question from the clinician is mildly annoying and deeply reassuring. Instant 3 a.m. approvals are the opposite.
Grade Before You Pay
Intakes are free to start. Run one at any provider you're considering, count the five items, time it, and flag something benign-but-notable to watch for conditional logic. Ten minutes of fake shopping buys you a real answer to the only question that matters: is anyone actually practicing medicine here?
Providers Whose Intakes Score Well in Our Testing
Embody
Injectable semaglutide — $149 first month
Our lead injectable pick: physician-supervised semaglutide with clean flat pricing after the intro month.
Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Visit Embody Paid linkSesame Care
Brand-name only — Rybelsus and oral Wegovy from $149–$299/mo
Brand-name FDA-approved medications only — the comparison anchor for every compounded price on this site.
Visit Sesame Care Paid linkCare Bare Rx
Injectable + oral options in intake
Both pathways available depending on clinical review.
Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Visit Care Bare Rx Paid linkVerdict: the intake is the one part of a provider's medical operation you can fully inspect before paying. The form is the practice — read it that way.
Affiliate disclosure: Links marked "Paid link" are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. This supports our independent research.
Compounded medication notice: Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. The FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness, or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed. Brand-name alternatives (Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, Rybelsus) are FDA-approved.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. GLP-1 medications are prescription drugs. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider about diagnosis, treatment, dosing, and whether these medications are appropriate for you.