Upper Peninsula Telehealth Network of Michigan

JCAHO standards regarding Telemedicine

Standard MS.4.20 (page MS-20)

There is a process for granting, renewing, or revising setting-specific clinical privileges.

Standard MS.4.120 (page MS-30)
Licensed independent practitioners who are responsible for the care, treatment, and services of the patient via telemedicine link are subject to the credentialing and privileging processes of the originating site.

Standard MS.4.130 (page MS-31)
The medical staffs at both the originating and distant sites recommend the clinical services to be provided by licensed independent practitioners through a telemedical link at their respective sites.

Standard LD.3.50 (page LD-13)

Services provided by consultation, contractual agreements, or other agreements are provided safely and effectively.

Please refer to your organizations JCAHO manual for detailed information in regards to the standards, rationale, elements of performance, and scoring.

Definitions

Distant Site:
The site where the practitioner providing the professional service is located.

Originating Site:
The site where the patient is located at the time the service is provided.

Telemedicine:
The use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications for the health and education of the patient or healthcare provider and for the purpose of improving patient care, treatment, and services.

Source: (American Telemedicine Association)
Organizations are encouraged to develop their own medical staff telemedicine policy.

Susan Makela, BSN, MPA
Director of Telehealth, MGHS

smakela@mgh.org