The District of Columbia Department of Health has proposed rules regarding telemedicine. If the rules are enacted, it would mark the first telemedicine practice standards established for D.C., reports The National Law Review.
According to the report, D.C. does require commercial health payers to cover telemedicine services, like 29 other states.
The proposed rules largely reflect standards and regulations in place in other states. Here are four key highlights of the rule.
1. The proposed rule would require physicians interested in telemedicine to have a license to practice medicine in the District of Columbia.
2. Physicians should adhere to the same standards of care as if the consultation were a face-to-face visit.
3. If a physician licensed in D.C. is covering for another physician licensed in D.C., the covering physician may rely on a patient evaluation performed by the original physician.
4. Security measures that keep patient communications, recordings and records confidential are required, and all patient-physician electronic communications, including email, must be stored and filed in the patient's medical record.
The proposed rules are open for comments until March 26.
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