A few years ago, telehealth was considered to be the future of healthcare. However, only a few organizations and healthcare providers tried to implement this innovation. Telehealth gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when patients could not access healthcare providers easily due to stay-at-home orders, lockdowns, social distancing rules, and travel restrictions.
Healthcare providers adopted this innovation to treat patients remotely using communication devices such as phones, tablets, or computers to send or receive messages, make video calls, monitor progress, exchange files, and coordinate treatment. However, new telehealth regulations emerged to protect the rights and interests of the patients. This article highlights the importance of complying with the telehealth regulations.
Prevent Abuse and Fraud
Healthcare services are usually strictly regulated because of the potential risks associated with treating human beings. Telehealth regulations were complicated before the pandemic, making healthcare providers reluctant to join the bandwagon. Today, healthcare providers must follow these regulations for telehealth appointments to practice. Those who comply with the regulations enjoy the fruits of adopting telehealth.
Health providers have to adhere to Medicare payment processing policies and state policies such as licensing board regulations, state-specific Medicaid rules, federal agency regulations, and private insurance regulations.
The rules ensure the provider has relevant knowledge and skills to handle patients and prescribe medication. The regulations are designed to minimize the risk of fraud, prevent unauthorized healthcare providers from practicing, avoid increasing healthcare costs without improving health, and prevent abuse.
Protect Sensitive Data
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of Civil Rights, enforces laws to prevent exposing sensitive data to unauthorized individuals. Telehealth providers who adhere to the relevant laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, can only use compliant platforms for communication with clients. This minimizes the risk of patent data getting into the wrong hands.
Complying with data protection regulations encourages patients to seek telemedicine services because they know their data is in safe hands and systems. However, the Office of Civil Rights waived this restriction temporarily during the pandemic to increase access to healthcare, which was more important.
Ensure Informed Consent
Patients need to understand the disease or health condition they have and the treatment options available. The regulations require the healthcare provider to inform the patient about the diagnosis and seek consent before proceeding with treatment.
Informed consent reduces the risk of abuse or malpractice because the patient can access the knowledge of the provider and weigh the risks and benefits of the proposed treatment option beforehand. Complying with these rules and regulations encourages patients to seek telemedicine services; they know their rights to informed consent will not be violated despite the health provider working from another location.
Maintain Accurate Records and Avoid Prescribing Errors
Telemedicine regulations require healthcare providers to maintain medical records as the other practitioners do. So, they must collect enough data and keep records depending on the services they offer and licensure requirements. Records minimize the risk of misdiagnosis or justify the treatment option or care provided.
Despite telehealth providers working with patients in different locations, they cannot prescribe controlled substances. This reduces the risk of patients accessing or abusing medical drugs. The laws also ensure that providers adhere to the standard of care regardless of the distance between them and their patients.
Telehealth regulations seek to protect patients from abuse or exploitation. They also protect sensitive data and ensure that healthcare providers provide quality services. Telemedicine service providers who comply with relevant regulations get more clients and treat them conveniently without geographical barriers.
