Telehealth Credentialing and Privileging: Minimizing Liability, Protecting Patient Privacy, Ensuring Quality Care

Recent developments in patient-service delivery systems, accountable care organizations, and technology have transformed the physician/patient relationship. The events have also impacted the platforms through which patients access healthcare, paving the way for advances in telehealth and underscoring the importance of effective credentialing and privileging of telehealth practitioners.

As telehealth expands and reliance on telehealth practitioners grows, healthcare facilities and entrepreneurs must take steps to navigate the many risks of implementing telehealth practices, minimize liability, protect patient privacy, and ensure the quality of care. Such measures include revising medical staff bylaws, creating new policies, negotiating written agreements, and monitoring telehealth practitioners.

Listen as our authoritative panel of healthcare attorneys reviews the requirements of the CMS rule, lessons from enforcement and experience, and changes for healthcare facilities, entrepreneurs, and practitioners engaged in telehealth practices. The panel will also discuss the interplay among the Joint Commission's telehealth standards, state medical board guidance, telehealth guidelines from professional associations, and best practices for compliance with these standards and guidelines.

1. CMS rules on credentialing and privileging and lessons learned
   1. Requirements of CMS rules
   2. Credentialing and privileging issues
   3. Regulatory compliance challenges
2. Impact on healthcare facilities, entrepreneurs, and practitioners
   1. Revising medical staff bylaws and creating hospital policies
   2. Negotiating written agreements and minimizing risk exposure
   3. Monitoring telehealth practitioners to assess the quality of care
   4. Protecting patient privacy amid technological advancements
3. Compliance strategies for new guidance and guidelines
   1. Understanding individual state requirements
   2. Evaluating the impact of new direction and guidelines
   3. Accommodating the use of telehealth technologies

The panel will review these and other key issues:

• Provisions to include in the agreement between the telehealth provider and the hospital
• Requirements for healthcare facilities and providers to implement the telehealth rule
• Steps for healthcare organizations to minimize the liability risks for the practice of telehealth through the credentialing, privileging, and monitoring of practitioners