The Journal of mHealth Vol 1 Issue 3 (June 2014) | Page 30

CONFERENCE
NEWS
ATA Plans to Launch Telehealth
Accreditation Program
In his speech to the annual ATA (American Telemedicine Association) conference in Baltimore, Edward Brown, President of the Association, outlined plans
to introduce an accreditation scheme for
the telehealth industry.
The aim of the accreditation program,
which is detailed in a draft consultation
paper, aims to clarify the relationship
between the industry and consumers.
The American Telemedicine Association
is working toward an autumn launch of
the accreditation program for primary
care and urgent care. Brown, who also
heads up the Ontario Telemedicine Network, has said the program is needed to
help consumers make good choices and
to reassure patients that online medical

consultations are convenient and safe. It
published a draft document earlier this
month and is seeking public comment.
While the ATA has developed Core
Guidelines for Telemedicine Operations that provide overarching, broad
guidance, the purpose of these draft
guidelines is to provide specific recommendations on the use of real-time,
two-way videoconferencing (VTC), and
telephonic communications between
providers and patients (i.e. direct-topatient) in the delivery of primary and
urgent care. The guidelines address clinical, technical, and administrative specifications, and establish baseline practice
expectations for remote consultations,
promote quality outcomes, and support

a more informed patient population.
The guidelines address the use and application of telehealth services suggesting
that telemedicine in primary care settings
should treat uncomplicated conditions
or be used for simple or routine followup for patients with underlying chronic
conditions, and for the management of
patients with medical conditions such as
allergies and asthma, influenza, low back
pain, and upper respiratory infections.
The draft consultation document can
be read online in full at: www.americantelemed.org/docs/default-source/standards/
ata-primary-urgent-care-guidelines-draft-publiccomment-final-(2).pdf n

Medical Devices Summit West 2014

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