Telehealth in the COVID-19 World
Telehealth services offer medical care for patients in the safety of their own homes. Expansion of telehealth services was identified with the onset of the Coronavirus. The following resources include steps, guides, a playbook, and many materials to help healthcare workers implement this service, provide answers to the challenges confronted, and see the benefits involved.
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AMA: Telehealth Implementation Playbook
A step by step approach to implementing telehealth. This playbook includes timelines, checklists, workflow charts, and multiple resources to institute telemedicine services.
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LHA Trust Funds-Telemedicine Consent Form
Patient consent for telemedicine is an important component of a telemedicine program as well as a requirement in the state of Louisiana. During this time of COVID-19 pandemic telemedicine use has escalated and many visits that would normally be done in person are being done via telemedicine. Consent revisions are recommended at this time to ensure that patients understand the current public health order to transition from in-person visits to telemedicine. This comprehensive patient consent includes language related to the emergency order to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
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CMS-General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit
A toolkit for general providers includes policies, waivers, guides, technical assistance, articles, vendors, and resources.
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LHA Trust Funds: Telemedicine-It's Covered
Your professional liability coverage with the LHA Trust Funds already includes telemedicine visits as long as the patient is located in the state of LA. This guide explains your telemedicine coverage.
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LHA Trust Funds: Telemedicine Licensing Requirements In Other States
With the issuance of CMS waivers for telemedicine services, we have received many questions as to whether state by state telemedicine licensing requirements have been lifted. While LA Governor Edwards has waived many of Louisiana’s requirements in his recent proclamation (38 JBE 2020), those waivers are only applicable to care provided in Louisiana.
Mr. Bill Scott of Watson, Blanche, Wilson & Posner provides the following quick overview of surrounding states changes to their telemedicine licensing requirements. -
Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners: Telehealth Guidance During COVID-19 Pandemic
A guide for allied providers to use telehealth. It offers information on applicable standards of care, prescriptions, confidentiality, and documentation.
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CMS: Applicability of Diagnoses from Telehealth Services for Risk Adjustment
A memo from CMS discusses the applicability of diagnoses from telehealth services for risk adjustment to all medical advantage, COST, PACE, and demonstration organizations. To report services, it provides appropriate codes and modifiers for use.
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Medicare Will Now Cover Telehealth to Fight Coronavirus
An article reviews the President's approval for Medicare coverage for telehealth services. It discusses expanding medical access for patients while meeting the demand of patient surge during this crisis.