5 Steps to Get Started in Telepractice

Over the last few weeks, many schools and clinics nationwide—well, really worldwide—have been shutting down in response to COVID-19. While this is an uncertain time for all of us, fortunately many audiologists and speech-language pathologists might be able to offer services for clients using telepractice. Editor’s note: Per ASHA guidelines, use of telepractice must be equivalent to the quality of services provided in person and consistent with adherence to the Code of Ethics, audiology scope of practice, speech-language pathology scope of practice, state and federal laws, and ASHA policy. Even before this pandemic, more of us started using telepractice to provide services. Even if you have never held a telepractice session before, making the switch may be easier than you expect. For me, engaging students or clients through a video screen doesn’t feel much different than sitting across a table from them. Here are a few things to consider as you get started: Choosing a video conference platform Per ASHA guidelines, your sessions need to be held over a video conference. As a general rule, free online meeting platforms do not have the encryption or security measures required to maintain student privacy. Some HIPAA-friendly platforms include: GoToMeeting, WebEx and the HIPAA-compliant version of Zoom. Facetime, Skype and Facebook Messenger are not HIPAA-compliant. Choose a meeting platform with password protection for each session. Editor’s note: President Trump ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Audiology Health Care Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Technology Telepractice Source Type: blogs