Telemedicine Legal Issues and Compliance Best Practices for FQHCs and RHCs

Hinshaw attorney Michael Dowell recently published an article in the Journal of Health Care Compliance that reviews the growing use of telemedicine services by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers (RHCs). Surveys indicate that 44 percent of FQHCs and RHCs have adopted telemedicine services, with another 12 percent actively exploring its feasibility.

Dowell considers the benefits of telemedicine along with the many legal issues it raises, particularly fraud and abuse laws. He also considers the six telemedicine advisory opinions issued to date by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Finally, he considers the key elements and best practices of telemedicine compliance programs, including:

• Written Policies and Procedures
• Workforce Training
• Payor Billing and Collections
• Confidentiality/Privacy
• Patient Consent
• Medical Records Documentation
• Fraud and Abuse

Download a copy of the full article (PDF)

"Federally Qualified Health Center and Rural Health Center Telemedicine Compliance and Legal Issues" was published by the Journal of Health Care Compliance, March/April 2019.