Dive Brief:
- The American Medical Association House of Delegates has sent proposed recommendations for telemedicine ethical practices back to the authors in order to address medical liability concerns.
- The organization stated certain recommendations were impractical for radiologists and pathologists - ones that proposed patients be informed of the technology's limitations and advising patients on how to schedule follow-up care.
- The delegates suggested the recommendations allow state or speciality medical societies to develop their own guidelines since the AMA's are for guidance.
Dive Insight:
Other key recommendations included requiring physicians to disclose financial interests in the telemedicine application or service, confirming telemedicine is appropriate for a patient's condition prior to offering a diagnosis or prescription, establishing a patient's identity, ensuring continuity of care, and requiring a telemedicine service protects patients' privacy.
A revised report will be reviewed at the delegates annual meeting set for June 2016 in Chicago. An earlier version of the proposed ethical guidelines for telemedicine was shelved last year due to a debate requiring patients to have an initial face-to-face consultation.