Page 16 - Telemedicine - Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery Part One

SVMIC Telemedicine: Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery

The term ‘telehealth’ is often used to encompass a

broader definition of remote healthcare that does not
always involve clinical services. Videoconferencing,

transmission of still images, e-health including patient
portals, remote monitoring of vital signs, continuing
medical education, and nursing call centers are all

considered part of telemedicine and telehealth.

Amidst an unprecedented increase in the use of remote medical

services during the COVID-19 pandemic, 22 leading healthcare
voices came together to establish the Taskforce on Telehealth

Policy (TTP). One of the overarching goals is to develop a widely
agreed upon taxonomy of the various telehealth modalities to

help clarify policy.

According to the American Telemedicine Association Telehealth
Taxonomy, the most commonly-used formats in telehealth
10
include:

• Virtual Visits: Live, synchronous, interactive encounters

between a patient and a healthcare provider via video,
telephone, or live chat.

• Chat-Based Interactions: Asynchronous online or mobile
app communications to transmit a patient’s personal

health data, vital signs, and other physiologic data or
diagnostic images to a healthcare provider to review and

deliver a consultation, diagnosis, or treatment plan at a
later time.

10 https://www.ncqa.org/programs/data-and-information-technology/telehealth/taskforce-on-
telehealth-policy/taskforce-on-telehealth-policy-findings-and-recommendations-overarching-
issues/

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