AMA Adopts Telemedicine Policy to Improve Access to Care

CHICAGO — The American Medical Assoc. (AMA) believes that the appropriate use of telemedicine to deliver care to patients could greatly improve access and quality of care, while maintaining patient safety. During its recent annual meeting, the AMA voted to approve a list of guiding principles for ensuring the appropriate coverage of and payment for telemedicine services. The principles aim to help foster innovation in the use of telemedicine, protect the patient-physician relationship, and promote improved care coordination and communication with medical homes.

The guiding principles stem from a policy report developed by the AMA’s Council on Medical Service addressing coverage and payment for telemedicine, which also provides background on the delivery of telemedicine and outlines current coverage and telemedicine payment rules, a summary of specialty society practice guidelines, position statements on telemedicine, and case studies.

“Whether a patient is seeing his or her physician in person or via telemedicine, the same standards of care for the patient must be maintained,” said incoming AMA President Dr. Robert Wah. “Telemedicine can strengthen the patient-physician relationship and improve access to receive care remotely, as medically appropriate, including treatment for chronic conditions, which are proven ways to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.”

The evolution of telemedicine impacts all of the AMA’s strategic focus areas, including improving health outcomes, enhancing physician satisfaction and practice sustainability, and accelerating change in medical education.