There is a great deal of buzz about telemedicine. Is it okay for our physicians to participate?

Telemedicine as defined by the North Carolina Medical Board is the “practice of medicine using electronic communication, information technology or other means between a licensee in one location and a patient in another location with or without an intervening health care provider.”

The board holds physicians to the same standard of care for telemedicine as it does for in-person care. Staff should be trained in the equipment. An appropriate evaluation must be done before treating a patient. This does not have to be done in-person as long as technology allows for sufficient diagnosis. Physicians must make sure they identify the patient properly and keep appropriate records.

Doctors should be licensed in North Carolina if they are going to be providing services to patients in North Carolina. If they plan to provide services to patients in another state, they need to check the laws of that state.

For further information, please refer to the North Carolina Medical Board’s position statement on telemedicine.

~Karen McKeithen Schaede

This article is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. The information contained in this article does not create an attorney-client relationship between Revolution Law PLLC and the reader.