Telemedicine Policy

The purpose of this Policy is to provide you with information about telemedicine and provide you with information about the risks and benefits of receiving care through telemedicine.

Telemedicine involves the use of electronic communications to enable a health care provider and a patient at different locations to share medical information for the purpose of evaluation, diagnosis, consultation, or treatment of the patient. The delivery of healthcare via telemedicine allows the patient and provider to establish a relationship, much as they would during a traditional face-to-face appointment. For example, your telemedicine encounter may include interaction through and with the use of the internet and real-time video, and may also include recorded audio communications, medical imaging, medical tests, and diagnoses, as well as related technologies known as “store-and-forward.”

The benefits of telemedicine include improved access to medical services and care, including the expertise of specialists and consultants that may not otherwise be available to you. Telemedicine also permits increased efficiency in evaluations, diagnoses, consultations, and treatment.

The potential risks associated with the use of telemedicine are rare, but include delays in medical evaluation and treatment due to equipment failures or information transmission deficiencies (such as poor image resolution); breach of privacy of protected health information due to security breaches or failures; and adverse drug interactions, allergic reactions, complications, or other errors due to patient’s failure to provide complete medical information or records.

As a patient, you can choose the method of care that you are comfortable with and that suits your needs. Please ask a member of the Integrative Health (“IH”) staff if you are interested in participating in our telemedicine program.