Telehealth Services Policy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services have allowed patients to receive care while respecting stay-at-home orders and minimizing unnecessary risk for exposure to the COVID-19 virus. The Telehealth Services Policy has provided specific direction for staff regarding the delivery of telehealth visits during COVID-19.
This policy was updated on June 30, 2021, to reflect the Preserve Telehealth Access Act 2021, which became effective July 1, 2021, coinciding with the termination of the Maryland state of emergency.
This new Maryland state law requires that insurance companies reimburse for covered services provided through telehealth. It ensures coverage of telehealth visits regardless of the patient’s location at the time of service and removes distant site (provider location) requirements for Medicaid.
The law also ensures payment parity between in-person health care and telehealth services from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2023, for Medicaid and commercial insurance.
This policy was updated again on March 29, 2022, to clarify that all ambulatory providers should use the UMMS IS&T and Telehealth Services approved platform, UMMS Teleport. For inpatient consultations, providers may use Zoom until UMMS Teleport Inpatient is live and available System-wide. Documentation standards are outlined on the UMMS Telehealth page and must be followed for all telehealth visits.
All providers must follow Federal law and the laws of the state of the originating site regarding prescribing controlled substances via telehealth. If there is a conflict between federal or state law, the law that is the more stringent controls.
The policy was also updated to indicate that providers must follow federal law and the laws of the state of the originating site regarding prescribing controlled substances via telehealth. If there is a conflict between federal or state law, the law that is the more stringent controls.
Finally, the updated policy offers clarification about appropriate licensing when conducting a telehealth visit. Providers should identify where the patient is physically located, and prior to delivering telehealth services to the patient, providers must comply with that state’s requirements for licensure and telehealth services.
Click here to view the Telehealth Services Policy.
FAQs
Can I provide telehealth services even if I am licensed in a different state than the patient?
The provider should identify where the patient is physically located, and before rendering telehealth services to that patient, the provider must comply with that state’s requirements regarding licensure and the requirements to render telehealth services to patients within that state.
Which patients are best suited for telehealth services?
The appropriate use of telehealth may depend on the patient or situation and is ultimately decided by the provider using their own clinical judgment in the best interest of the patient.
Do I need to secure patient consent?
Yes, before a telehealth visit begins, you must obtain consent from the patient or their health care decision maker. Their consent, along with all other documentation that is part of the care process, should be documented in the patient’s electronic medical record, using standard practices.
Which applications are approved for use to conduct a telehealth visit?
All providers should use the UMMS IS&T and Telehealth Services approved platform, UMMS Teleport. For inpatient consultations, providers may use Zoom until UMMS Teleport Inpatient is live and available System-wide.
Which applications are recommended for non-clinical services?
Other clinical services, such as support groups, and non-clinical services, such as online meetings and webinars, should use UMMS IS&T approved video conferencing solutions like Cisco WebEx.