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Telehealth accreditation

Clinical and technical standards

Clinical and technology infrastructure are important aspects of a telehealth program.

Virtual clinical care standards

Accreditors may check some or all components of how clinical care is provided in a telehealth program. Criteria varies among different accreditation bodies and may include:

  • Clinical processes. Clinical protocols and guidelines for virtual care, including triage, assessments, diagnosis, treatment plans, prescriptions, and follow-up care.
  • Process to monitor patients. Quality assurance and improvement plans should be in place to track patient health outcomes and address complaints and adverse events.
  • Clinical documentation. Telehealth services require the completion of the appropriate forms, including patient consent and encounter notes.

The goal is to ensure that telehealth programs provide safe, high-quality care to patients while adhering to industry best practices and regulations.

Technology infrastructure and privacy

Telehealth accreditation involves reviewing a telehealth program’s processes and protocols, including those related to privacy and security. This helps determine whether a program meets the current standards to protect patient privacy (PDF) and keep health data secure. This may include:

  • Reliable and secure use of HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.
  • Access to auxiliary aids and services for patients with disabilities or with limited English proficiency.
  • Adopting virtual clinical practice guidelines, including confirming the patient’s identification at the beginning of each appointment and everyone who is present in the room.
  • Effective telehealth equipment, including remote patient monitoring devices.
  • Regularly testing and updating telehealth equipment with antivirus and firewall protection.
  • Verifying data security features, such as authentication, encryption, and authorization.
  • Documenting a process of how patient health data is collected, stored, and transferred.
  • Complying with federal and state requirements for protecting against data breaches.

More information

Legal considerations — Health Resources and Services Administration

Planning your telehealth workflow — Health Resources and Services Administration

Cybersecurity Guidance Material — Office for Civil Rights

HIPAA for Professionals — Office for Civil Rights