Page 17 - Telemedicine - Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery Part Two

SVMIC Telemedicine: Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery

Referral for In-Person Treatment

Telemedicine is not an appropriate modality for all clinical

presentations. Some medical issues cannot be resolved over
the phone, or even with video, and require an in-person visit.

Optimally, when assessing whether the complaint is appropriate
for telemedicine, the physician will have relevant medical

records or be able to obtain information during the telemedicine
encounter.

Some states require all pertinent data and information to be
available for the telemedicine encounter. Regardless of any

affirmative regulatory requirement, the physician must have
enough information to form an opinion about treating the

patient. If not, the physician should refer the patient for an in-
person encounter and advise the patient of the next steps.

Standard of Care

It is essential that providers continue to meet standards of

care when using telemedicine. You are providing healthcare
to patients, so it is crucial to recognize that there are clear

limitations to what you can do through telemedicine.
Additionally, delivering care through telemedicine requires the

same compliance with laws and regulations as in the treatment
of patients in the traditional care setting. Some states have

explicitly stated that the standard of care for telemedicine is the
same as in-person healthcare. A few statements include the

following:
4

4 “Teaching Telemedicine”, Peter Greenwald, MD, and Neel Naik, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine,
presented virtually for the MPL Association Claims/Risk Workshop, October 1, 2020.

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