Yes. A gym can legally refer its members to licensed telehealth weight-loss care, because the gym is not practicing medicine, not prescribing, and not touching any medication. It is simply pointing interested members toward a licensed service and earning a fixed marketing fee for the introduction. The clinical work stays entirely on the licensed side of the platform, which is what keeps a gym on the right side of the line.
That said, this article is general information, not legal advice, and every business should confirm its own local rules with its own advisors. What follows explains why the referral model is structured the way it is.
Why referring is different from prescribing
The legal risk for gyms usually comes from doing something that looks like practicing medicine: evaluating a member's health, recommending a specific drug, or handing over medication. A referral does none of that. When a gym refers a member for telehealth weight loss, the gym is not diagnosing anyone, not deciding who qualifies, and not dispensing a product.
On the MedStands model, licensed providers do the prescribing and licensed pharmacies do the fulfillment, refills, and shipping. MedStands is not a medical practice and does not prescribe. The platform is LegitScript-certified, which is a third-party standard for legitimate healthcare and telehealth commerce. Your gym's role stops at the introduction. There is no clinical work, no inventory, no prescribing, and no fulfillment on your side, so the activity that creates medical-practice liability never sits with you.
What keeps the marketing fee compliant
A common worry is whether getting paid for a healthcare referral is allowed. The structure matters here. Your gym earns a fixed marketing fee that is set in advance, the same amount per active referred member regardless of what any provider prescribes or how much any pharmacy charges. It is not a commission, not a percentage, and not a cut of sales. You are paid a flat marketing fee for the introduction, paid to your bank every month for as long as each referred person keeps actively using the platform.
That distinction is deliberate. A fee tied to a share of what gets prescribed can create exactly the kind of incentive problem that regulators care about. A flat marketing fee that does not change based on treatment decisions keeps your compensation disconnected from any clinical outcome. For a deeper walkthrough, see Is a Telehealth Referral Fee a Commission? Here Is How It Actually Works.
What your gym actually does
The mechanics are simple and hands-off. Your gym gets a QR code and a personal link. You place the QR code at the front desk, in the locker room, on a class flyer, or in a member email. A member who is curious scans it, and anyone who signs up through your code or link is attributed to your gym automatically.
From there, the licensed side takes over. The member completes an intake, and every request is reviewed by a licensed provider. Not everyone qualifies. Your staff never books an appointment, never answers a clinical question, and never handles a package. If you want to see how the tracking connects a member to your gym over time, read How Telehealth Referral Attribution Works (Lifetime Tracking).
Why gyms are a natural fit
Members already come to a gym for help with their weight and fitness, so a weight-management option is a relevant thing to make available rather than an out-of-place pitch. Because you are referring instead of selling medication, you can offer it without a medical license, without becoming a clinic, and without changing how your business is licensed. It is a marketing and referral opportunity, not a medical or franchise business, and it is one many fitness businesses can add without new staff or overhead. For the revenue angle specifically, see How Gyms Can Add a Weight-Loss Revenue Stream Without a Medical License.
Common questions
Does my gym need a medical license or certification to refer?
No. Referring is not practicing medicine, so it does not require a medical license or clinical certification. Licensed providers and licensed pharmacies handle everything on the clinical side. For more detail on this exact point, see Do You Need a Medical License to Refer Customers to Telehealth?.
What does it cost to set this up?
Nothing. It is free to join, with no setup fee, no monthly fee, and nothing to buy. You get a QR code and a link, and you start sharing them.
Who is responsible for the medical care?
The licensed providers and licensed pharmacies on the platform. They do the evaluating, prescribing, dispensing, and shipping. Your gym is not the medical provider and does not make treatment decisions, which is exactly why the referral role stays clear of clinical liability.
Do all members who sign up get treated?
No. Every request is reviewed by a licensed provider, and not everyone qualifies. Your gym cannot influence who is approved, and your fixed marketing fee does not depend on any specific treatment decision.
Getting started
If referring members for telehealth weight loss fits your gym, the next step is to review the details and claim your QR code. Learn more about the gym partner program, or browse partner programs by industry to see how the same referral model works for other wellness businesses. It is free to join, there is no clinical work involved, and you earn a fixed marketing fee every month for as long as each referred member stays active.