More than one-half of the country now has laws in place enforcing coverage for telemedicine services, pointing to a growing trend in care delivery—but physicians still must navigate gray areas. Learn some of the things physicians are doing now to pave the way for telemedicine to succeed.
Getting up to speed
Physicians have taken a leading role in issuing policy to govern telemedicine and ensuring its safety and effectiveness for patients. They’re also making sure their colleagues have the resources they need to get up to speed on this recent delivery method, whether they just want to understand it better or are planning to participate in it.
Resources offered through the AMA include:
- A brief podcast with telemedicine expert Karen Rheuban, MD, director of the University of Virginia Center for Telehealth., on the current state of telemedicine and potential paths in the future. Produced with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, this podcast explains the difference between telemedicine and telehealth and offers examples of how telemedicine is improving patient care.
- A recent issue of the AMA Journal of Ethics examines telemedicine’s challenges for the medical profession.
- Information about state telemedicine advocacy and federal digital health advocacy.
Coding telemedicine services and getting paid
Leaders in technology and patient care are meeting Monday to discuss how to adapt CPT® codes to the modern telemedicine environment. The meeting—which will include representatives from medical specialty societies, industry, the AMA and the CPT Editorial Panel— will discuss unmet needs for reporting current telehealth services and potential solutions for anticipated future coding needs.
After the meeting, it is likely that work groups of physicians and other telehealth experts also will convene to create applications for code set adaptations and to provide appropriate recommendations to ensure physicians can report telemedicine services and get paid so they can continue providing those services.
Learn more about the meeting (log in) and watch a webinar that explains the current CPT telehealth codes.
Expediting multistate medical licensure
Physicians who treat patients via telemedicine in multiple states, must have a medical license from each state. That process will be easier now that the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact is in effect. The compact will facilitate a speedier process with fewer administrative burdens for physicians seeking licensure in multiple states. Alabama became the ninth state to join the compact just last month.
Want to learn more? Get answers to your questions about telemedicine.
