The American Telemedicine Association has launched an online accreditation program to assess and accredit providers offering real-time, online consultations.
The ATA's Accreditation Program for Online Patient Consultations stemmed from the proliferation of online healthcare service offerings, according to Jonathan Linkous, CEO of ATA. The program will provide benchmarks for organizations building an online practice and will "provide reassurance" to payers that the services they are reimbursing comply with federal and state laws and regulations, he said.
"We've seen an explosion of online healthcare service offerings in recent years, and a growing need to assure consumers they are making good choices," Mr. Linkous said.
According to the ATA, more than 800,000 online patient consultations will occur this year, and the number is expected to quickly grow.
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