The Future of Telehealth
licensing requirements for practicing
telemedicine, but the consistency varies.
Some states require a license be obtained in
each state the physician provides
telemedicine services and other issue special
licenses to out-of-state physicians to practice
telemedicine in their state. These
requirements can be a limit to the networking
capability of a physician treating patients
outside of their own state, or in cases where a
physician practices directly on a state border
or a metropolitan area that serves
surrounding communities.
The 2001 CMS act required the use of an
"interactive telecommunications system,"
which is defined as technology that could
allow for real-time audio and video
communication between physicians and
patients. Under the original criteria, E-mail
scheduling systems, phones, fax machine
and other "store and forward" technologies
didn't meet these requirements, and
couldn't be billed and reimbursed for
telemedical services.
These technological limitations from 2001
act in reference to the original HIPPA act of
1996 which imposed regulations on how and
where patient data could be sent
electronically, ensuring patient privacy and
limiting a physician's malpractice liability.
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