Despite the benefits telemedicine offerings provide, such as access to care and cost effective consultations, the American College of Physicians warns of the importance of measuring the potential benefits against the risks and challenges. As such, the ACP issued a position paper with recommendations for telemedicine, including physician-patient relationship establishment in a face-to-face visit before a telemedicine relationship is developed.
The ACP believes telemedicine will be most beneficial and efficient if a patient and physician already have an established and ongoing relationship. As such, the organization believes telemedicine provides a "reasonable alternative" for patients who lack regular access to medical expertise in their geographic area and that direct-to-patient telemedicine services should only be used to meet immediate acute care needs.
However, the ACP does say that a "valid patient-physician relationship" can be established through audiovisual technology if the physician takes appropriate steps meeting the standard of care for an in-person visit during the video consultation. Another way to do so might be to consult with another physician who already has established a relationship with that patient.
"Telemedicine holds the promise to improve access to care, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce costs to the health care system. However, various challenges and risks of telemedicine, such as variations in state and federal laws, limited reimbursement, logistic issues, and concerns about the quality and security of the care provided, should not be overlooked," according to the ACP.
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