Trumpcare | Where Does Telehealth Stand?
A lot can be said about the GOP’s plan to repeal the ACA, but what can we expect from these changes? And how does it affect Telehealth as we know it? Image from Vocativ. Prior to election, Donald Trump had announced a 10-point plan to reform the VA. In his speech, he highlighted a need […]
Your Healthcare is Changing. Here’s How.
More people are insured, costs are higher, and technology is advancing more rapidly than ever before. As a result of this evolving landscape, medical professionals are looking for new ways to reach customers while patients are looking for better ways to manage their medical expenses and their health, and everyone’s wondering: What changes to medicine […]
A close read of the HIPAA Security Rule
HIPAA established the Security Rule to ensure that all covered entities have implemented safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and access of PHI. There are two types of implementation specifications: “required” and “addressable.” Wherever the Security Rule reads “required,” that specification must be implemented; whereas, if it says “addressable,” there is some wiggle room in […]
Can On-Line Therapy Cross State Lines and Remain HIPAA-Compliant?
Suppose a licensed therapist whose office is in Ironwood, Michigan, has a client, referred by the patient’s insurance company, who drives twice a week to her office from his home across the Montreal River and 20 miles down Highway 51 in Saxon, Wisconsin. She is the nearest therapist to his home. No problem getting paid […]
Snowden Leaks Disclose NSA-Skype Cooperation
In a story that has been developing over the past several weeks, The Guardian disclosed last week that Microsoft has been providing the National Security Agency with access to recorded data collected on Skype, which was purchased by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in 2011. The files provided by Edward Snowden illustrate the scale of cooperation […]
What is a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement, and Why Do I Need One?
If your practice is currently using a medical teleconferencing service (telemed), or if you are considering using one, you should know that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and the recently-finalized (March 2013) Rules promulgated thereunder, consider the provider of such service to be a “business associate.” HIPAA defines a business […]
A Brief History of Telehealth
Telehealth has been the story of a “revolution” that never quite materializes. That has changed, with experts are projecting the market to grow at 20% annually over the next several years. “Telehealth” is a term used broadly to encompass interactive videoconferencing, electronic exchange of information, remote monitoring of vital signs, patient portals, and more. “Telemedicine” […]