NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2020 - 25

During the COVID-19 Pandemic,
short-term telehealth capacity is
critically important and facilitates
a rapid response. However, due to
this unplanned transformation of
the health care system, this
technology may become part of
the new "normal" in the longterm. Seek expedience while
keeping an eye on creating a
sustainable delivery solution that
can be scaled once the national
emergency has been lifted.
CMS recently provided flexibility
during the COVID-19 pandemic to
waive penalties for HIPAA
violations against health care
providers that serve patients in
good faith through everyday
communications technologies,
such as audio-only telephone
calls, FaceTime or Skype.
Providers should download the
full Quick Guide to Virtual Care
from the NHPCO website,
additional guidance can be found
in the appendices of this resource.
Telehealth capacity and
utilization has never been more
needed than now. The steps
following are intended to help you
and your organization better
understand your telehealth needs
as well as steps to consider in
executing your telehealth plan.

Planning

(Refer to this

implementation checklist)
1. Identify Telehealth Goal(s)
a. What do you want to
accomplish with the
introduction of a telehealth
delivery capacity? (e.g., keep
both staff and patients safe,
improve efficiency, conserve
personal protective equipment,
provide greater patient access,
reduce team burnout, etc.)
b. Based on payment model,
what disciplines on your staff
would you like to utilize
telehealth technology? Your
response identifies service size/
scope.

telehealth policies and
procedures, procure equipment
and space, manage access,
train staff, screen patients for
telehealth capacity and
appropriateness, collect and
analyze data and patient/staff
satisfaction, etc.)
b. How will the designated
manager be supported by
internal or external technology
expertise? (e.g., evaluate
individual connectivity options,
provide access orientation for
patients/caregivers, solve video
conferencing issues, etc.)

i. Fee-for-Service
1. Palliative Care (Medicare
Part B - e.g., only physicians,
physician and APRNs, etc)
2. Hospice (Medicare A - faceto-face encounters and
interdisciplinary team)
ii. Value-Based-(e.g.,
physicians, APRNs, social
workers, chaplains, etc.)?
c. What type of service do you
want to provide? (e.g.,
synchronous only, synchronous
and virtual check-in, etc.)
d. What segment of your patient
population would you like to
target with telehealth services?

...due to this
unplanned
transformation of
the health care
system, this
technology may
become part of the
new "normal" in the
long-term.

2. Designate an IT/Service Manager
a. Who on your team will manage
the telehealth service? (e.g.,
coordinate platform selection
and acquisition, develop

Newsline / Summer 2020

25
https://www.telehealthresourcecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/checklist190508-gpTRAC.pdf https://www.nhpco.org/wp-content/uploads/COVID-19-Quick-Guide-Virtual-Care_FNL.pdf
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2020
