Dive Brief:
- A new position paper by the American College of Physicians stresses the benefits of telemedicine "must be measured against the risks and challenges associated with its use."
- The group recommends its use when a physician and patient have developed a relationship, and then "only as an intermittent alternative to a patient's primary care physician when necessary to meet a patient's immediate acute care needs."
- The organization also recommends developing evidence-based guidelines on telemedicine's appropriate use to improve patient outcomes and establishing a streamlined process for obtaining licensure in multiple states, while letting states retain individual licensing and regulatory authority.
Dive Insight:
ACP also recommended removing Medicare's geographic restrictions on reimbursement and providing reimbursement for telemedicine communications (text, voice, video or device feeds).
The issue of whether a patient-provider relationship is required before telemedicine is ongoing. Teladoc and the Texas Medical Board are battling in court over the board's requirement for an initial in-person visit. However, Colorado has expanded the use of telemedicine and does not require an initial in-person visit, and patients are not required to be in a specific facility to conduct a telehealth visit.