Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Legal Considerations for Nurses Practicing in a Telehealth Setting

During the last century the world has become increasingly reliant on a variety of technologies to manage information needs. Escalation in deployment of remote technology to enhance health care, accompanied by expanded public and private reimbursement for distant care, indicates increasing acceptance of these technologies. Yet many legal and regulatory questions regarding the provision of health care using these technologies remain.

One of the consistent questions about telehealth nursing is whether there is a need for certification or additional credentialing for telehealth practice.

This question is being raised even though the last century has been replete with the introduction of new tools and technology in health care, resulting in a system that is quite adept at incorporating new technologies into patient care and that understands the expectation that users are trained, proficient and safe in using any new technology.