In all the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, one bright spot is the increased availability of HIPAA approved telehealth platforms. Behavioral health providers were quick to adopt these new methods of providing care, and many patients have been helped in a more convenient way. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) scaled down HIPAA enforcement related to telehealth as long [...]
VSee is a telehealth solution with an impressive background, including being the service used by astronauts on the International Space Station. As notable as that accomplishment is, we must ask the question, is VSee HIPAA compliant? What Makes a Software Tool HIPAA Compliant? When it comes to software, there are specific indications of the tool’s HIPAA compliance. Software HIPAA compliance really boils [...]
If any positives resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated chaos surrounding it, count the accelerated acceptance of telehealth services as one of them. Patients today in underserved areas or with busy schedules can now schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider from the privacy of their home at a time that best fits their needs. While some providers use business-oriented [...]
As the pandemic crisis fades, the Department of Health and Human Services is eliminating many of the flexibilities in HIPAA compliant telehealth regulations it granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency. How We Got Here – HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Regulations The pandemic-fueled lockdowns put a severe strain on the nation’s health system, as those most at risk of infection struggled to receive [...]
One of the longest-lasting impacts of the pandemic may be the creation and adoption of alternative communications methods in the healthcare arena. An HHS study released in December 2021 showed 2020 telehealth usage for Medicare patients increased 63-fold over 2019 (840,000 to 52.7 million). Regardless of the method used, communications such as cloud-based VoIP, telehealth, texting, and email in healthcare must comply [...]
In the midst of all the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, one bright spot is the increased availability of HIPAA compliant telehealth options. Quarantines and travel restrictions created a need for patients to be able to access health care remotely. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has scaled down HIPAA enforcement as it relates to telehealth, but that won’t always be the case. [...]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, states have implemented regulatory changes related to telehealth. Telehealth and telemedicine laws by state are discussed below. Telehealth Laws by State: Medicaid Populations The federal Medicaid program has affected telehealth laws by state. Medicaid gives states broad authority to permit coverage for telehealth services. Before the COVID-19 emergency, many states had already implemented broad telehealth coverage. Since March of 2020, [...]
Telehealth is the delivery of healthcare, patient education, health information, and self-care, via audio or audiovisual means, at a location remote from the patient. Doctors who offer telehealth treatment can perform many of the same services rendered in person. These include prescribing medicine, diagnosing conditions, and offering prognoses. The benefits of telehealth include benefits for patients as well as for physicians. HIPAA Compliance is an important part [...]
