Liability Risks of Telemedicine: State Standards Among Considerations Telemedicine utilization growth continues at an impressive rate. According to the FAIR Health database (the largest repository of private healthcare claims), telemedicine use in the U.S. nearly doubled between 2007 and 2015. Over half of all U.S. hospitals now use some form of telemedicine, according to the American Telemedicine Association. Telemedicine is widely credited with improving patient access, cost efficiencies and quality of care. This and increasingly favorable state and federal telemedicine legislation may explain the rapid increase in its utilization. Despite the advantages, telemedicine has liability risks, such as privacy, security, patient confidentiality, credentialing and misdiagnosis due to a lack of continuity of care. Additionally, the soft skills that may come naturally in a personal patient encounter may need to be adjusted for electronic encounters. Telemedicine providers should evaluate their “webside” manner. For example, equipment needs to be positioned to simulate direct eye contact; active listening cues may need to be exaggerated; posture and facial expressions may need adjustment and sessions must be started and ended appropriately. Seemingly minor electronic communication strategies can significantly affect the success of a telemedicine encounter. September 7, 2016 Practice Management, Resources, Risk Management Patient Care, Professional Liability, Risk Management, Telemedicine , Virtual 0 0 Comment Read More »
