Telemedicine Toolkit

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical healthcare from a distant site. While more convenient and accessible for patients, practitioners face a number of challenges during implementation. This toolkit has been designed to assist our members in implementing a successful telemedicine program by providing guidance in the following areas: policy and procedure, consent, legal regulation, self-site assessment and performance improvement.

Getting Started in Telehealth

This section includes numerous resources on how to get started with initiating telehealth in your organization. It consists of a variety of information from a startup checklist to a set of best practices and steps to developing a successful program.

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    AHIMA Telemedicine Toolkit

    The American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) telemedicine toolkit summarizes telemedicine’s introduction to the medical field, benefits and challenges associated with it, requirements of a successful telemedicine program and how to get started.

    TAGS: Medical, field, requirement, AHIMA

  • Checklists

    Checklists

    MGMA Telehealth Startup Checklist

    The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) provides a startup checklist to assist in the operations of telehealth. It gives direction with the implementation and workflow of these services. It also focuses on reinforcing the physician’s role in physician-patient engagement.

    TAGS: Medical, group, Management, Association, Checklist, Implementations, Patient, reinforcing

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    ANA Core Principles on Connected Health

    A guide is available to prepare healthcare professionals in the use of technology in healthcare. Telehealth experts base these principles from the policies they develop. Literature suggests that telecommunications can be useful in healthcare by using this foundation.

    TAGS: Healthcare, Technology, telecommunication, Foundation, Policies

Technology Concerns and Telehealth

Concerns are widespread in the realm of telehealth. This area offers information on how to achieve telehealth interoperability at all levels of this program while maintaining HIPAA guidelines.

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    Telehealth Interoperability White Paper

    The American Telemedicine Association shares a white paper on telehealth interoperability related to the recent expansion of telehealth services. To keep up with these services, it discusses plans to implement standards to achieve technical interoperability in the many facets of telehealth services.

    TAGS: Association, telemedicine, American, Services

  • HIPAA Guidelines on Telemedicine

    When communicating patient health information from a distance, there is always the risk of concern of encountering a breach. It is the facility’s responsibility to comply with HIPAA standards and maintain confidentiality with all communications that occur electronically. This article reiterates that safeguards remain in place, and the transfer of information is secure by any route used in the transmission of patient information.

    TAGS: Risk, confidentiality, secure, Patient, Health

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Telehealth Measurement and Effectiveness

In using telemedicine, it is essential to monitor the outcomes and effectiveness of programs and processes implemented. The following information includes a series of resources to measure these processes.

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    Health E-Access Telemedicine Interview Guide

    AHRQ has developed an interview guide for use in the ambulatory setting. It is a survey to assess the patient’s experience with access to care and perception of telehealth.

    TAGS: AHRQ, ambulatory, telehealth, Patient

  • Evaluation tools

    Evaluation tools

    Health Information Technology Evaluation Toolkit

    This evaluation toolkit provides step-by-step guidance to assist in developing strategies for monitoring information technology. It provides examples of measures for evaluation and project examples.

    TAGS: Guidance, developing, Strategies, monitoring, Project

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Risks and Liability Telehealth Considerations

Telehealth has its own unique risks and liability. Resources provided in this section will discuss the types of issues organizations should consider in order to proactively mitigate risks.

  • Managing the Risks of Telemedicine

    This article encompasses the many risks confronted with the use of telemedicine today. It focuses on five specific areas that are at high risk with the use of these services. These include litigation, licensing, policies and procedures, documentation and informed consent, and contracts. The data cues in on how to avoid or manage these fields.

    TAGS: litigation, Licensing, consent, Contract, encompasses, telemedicine, Managers

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    ASHRM Telemedicine White Paper

    The ASHRM Telemedicine White Paper examines telehealth risks utilizing an enterprise risk management framework. This document analyzes risks within the ERM domains of operations, clinical, strategic, financial, human capital, legal, technology and hazard-mitigation.

    TAGS: ERM, domain, Operations, Clinical, strategic, financial, human capital, legal, Technology, hazard-mitigation

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Laws, Regulations, Licensure and Credentialing Requirements for Telehealth

This section includes pertinent information on rules and regulations that apply to telehealth, including information specific to Louisiana healthcare providers.

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    Louisiana Telehealth Access Act

    A quick link provided by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners that summarizes Louisiana telehealth law. The Louisiana Telehealth Access Act discusses legislative findings, definitions and rules defined for telehealth services.

    TAGS: board, Medical, examiner, State

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    Telemedicine Policies by State

    A chart is available with an overview of telemedicine policies by state. It specifies if a state license is required, reimbursement policies affiliated with Medicaid and private payer, and other rules and regulations.

    TAGS: Medicaid, payer, reimbursement, regulations, Policies, license

  • Algorithms

    Algorithms

    Telemedicine: Regulatory and Liability Trends

    This article sums up the growth of telemedicine. It discusses many of the challenges, liability concerns, licensing and mandates to comply with regulatory agencies involved with this thriving communication affecting healthcare.

    TAGS: Concerns, Licensing, mandate, thriving, communications, affecting, Healthcare

Sample Forms and Policies

It is essential to have up-to-date policies, procedures and forms to support your telehealth program. This section contains samples that can be used to help you develop your own customized documents.

  • Policy Templates

    Policy Templates

    Sample Telemedicine Policy

    Policies are a set of rules put in place by a facility to ensure safety and promote staff compliance. Telemedicine programs should have good policies and procedures in place to serve as a guide for staff and ensure patient safety. The sample policy provided illustrates the procedures in place for telemedicine related to psychiatric services.

    TAGS: Psychiatric, illustrates, Procedures, telemedicine, compliance, Policies

  • Policy Templates

    Policy Templates

    Sample Patient Consent Form

    The following sample consent form is for a telemedicine program. A consent form is a detailed explanation of a procedure or process in which one gives authorization for or declines a procedure after a discussion of risks and benefits with the physician.

    TAGS: Physician, authorization, Procedures, Risk, telemedicine, Program

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Online Telehealth Resources

This bundle of general resources includes information from the industry leaders who are leading the way in supporting and developing improved processes for telehealth.

  • TexLa Telehealth Resource Center

    This resource center provides resources to new and existing programs for the Texas and Louisiana regions. It consists of state updates and upcoming events related to telemedicine and telehealth.

    TAGS: telehealth, telemedicine, texas, Louisiana, regions, State

  • American Telemedicine Association

    This organization focuses solely on telehealth with the goal of efficient delivery. It includes policies, events, initiatives, resources and news associated with telemedicine.

    TAGS: Policies, initiatives, Organization, telehealth

  • MGMA: New Ways to Get Paid for Telehealth Services

    Medical Group Management Association offers news and insights, resources, data, advocacy, events, certification and more. This site focuses on keeping professionals up to date on changes and striving for positive results.

    TAGS: Medical, group, Management, Association, Positive, results, advocacy