Ethical considerations prompt new telemedicine ground rules

With the increasing use of telemedicine and telehealth technologies, delegates at the 2016 AMA Annual Meeting adopted new policy that outlines ethical ground rules for physicians using these technologies to treat patients. The guidelines The policy, based on a report from the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, notes that while physicians’ fundamental ethical responsibilities don’t change when providing telemedicine, new technology has given rise to the need for further guidance. “Telehealth and telemedicine are another stage in the ongoing evolution of new models for the delivery of care and patient-physician interactions,” AMA Board Member Jack Resneck, MD, said in a news release. “The new AMA ethical guidance notes that while new technologies and new models of care will continue to emerge, physicians’ fundamental ethical responsibilities do not change.” According to the new policy, any physician engaging in telemedicine must: Disclose any financial or other interests in particular telemedicine applications or services Protect patient privacy and confidentiality The policy outlines guidelines for physicians who either respond to individual health queries electronically or provide clinical services through telemedicine. Broadly, some of these guidelines include: Informing patients about the limitations of the relationship and services provided Encouraging telemedicine patients who have a primary care physician to inform the...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news