Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

As telemedicine use has increased to remotely diagnose and treat patients via various telecommunication platforms, the need for stricter guidelines has presented itself.

The American Medical Association (AMA) discussed the emergence of this technology and the new and innovative healthcare challenges that come from utilizing it, at its annual meeting in Chicago on June 13. The discourse centered on telemedicine and ethics with the proposition of guidelines to address this critical issue.

“Telehealth and telemedicine are another stage in the ongoing evolution of new models for the delivery of care and patient-physician interactions,” said AMA Board Member Jack Resneck, MD, at the annual meeting. “The new AMA ethical guidance notes that while new technologies and new models of care will continue to emerge, physicians’ fundamental ethical responsibilities do not change.”

The AMA continues to encourage the highest level of patient engagement and the administration of quality care, says the AMA in a news release from June 13. The guidelines put forth are a promise that the group will promote safety and integrity first in telemedicine, ensuring the welfare of their patients for the long term.

Resource: For the complete AMA news release about new telemedicine initiatives, visit http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2016/2016-06-13-new-ethical-guidance-telemedicine.page.