COVID-19 Update – Teledentistry
Licensed Health Care Practitioners Can Provide Telemedicine Services to Pennsylvanians During Coronavirus Emergency
Health care professionals licensed under any of the Department of State ' s Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs ( BPOA ) licensing boards can provide services to patients via telemedicine during the coronavirus emergency .
" Telemedicine provides health care professionals flexibility to continue treating their patients while following best practices on social distancing as outlined by the Department of Health ," Secretary Kathy Boockvar said . " The department requested , and Governor Wolf granted us , the authority to allow health care professionals from outof-state to treat Pennsylvania residents using telemedicine , when appropriate , due to COVID-19 ."
This guidance applies to the following boards : Chiropractic , Dentistry , Medicine , Nursing , Optometry , Pharmacy , Podiatry , Psychology , Osteopathic Medicine , Nursing Home Administrators , Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure , Physical Therapy , Social Workers , Marriage and Family Therapists , and Professional Counselors , Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology , and Veterinary Medicine
Currently , no Pennsylvania law prohibits the practice of telemedicine .
All practitioners using telemedicine in Pennsylvania must remain informed on all federal and state laws , regulations and guidance regarding telemedicine , including a practitioner ' s obligations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPAA ) and recent guidance provided by the U . S . Department of Health and Human Services Opens In A New Window .
PDA also received the following teledentistry update today , March 25 , from United Concordia :
United Concordia is closely monitoring COVID-19 and its impact on the communities we serve . While the situation is constantly changing , one thing remains constant : our focus is on the health and well-being of our customers – members , dentists , employers , producers and partners – and our valued employees .
We have implemented processes and work models to ensure we continue to deliver uninterrupted service , including our employees beginning to work from home as of March 19 , 2020 .