Telemedicine: CMS and TJC Standards

COVID-19 gives telemedicine a larger role in diagnosis. Communicating remotely protects clinicians and patients from transmission of the SAS-CoV-2 virus. The solution to do this was so obvious that the federal government, some states, and health insurers, quickly suspended regulations that limited telemedicine. It is anticipated that the telemedicine boom will outlive the coronavirus. CMS has made many changes to telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic based on federal regulations. The regulations cover the credentialing and privileging process for physicians and practitioners providing telemedicine services.

• Review the overall impact of suspended regulations that once limited telemedicine.
• Discuss Telemedicine requirements pursuant to The Joint Commission and CMS Conditions of Participation.
• Review the guidelines and duties needed to implement telemedicine resources.

• 1135 Waivers
• Distant Site Telemedicine Entity (Advantages)
• Telemedicine is on the rise
• Practice Guidelines
• Rural Telehealth Toolkit
• VA Eases Restrictions
• Federal of State Medical Board Policy
• Interstate Licensing Compacts
• Legislation and Regulation Tracking
• CMS Resources
• The Joint Commission Telemedicine Standards
• TJC Credentialing
• LD 04.03.09 EP 23
• LD 04.03.09 Board Duties
• TJC Changes
• CMS Telemedicine Standards
• Credentialing and Privileging
• Current Regulations
• Telemedicine and Federal Registrar
• Interpretive Guidelines on Telemedicine
• CMS CoPs Tag numbers
• Critical Access Hospital Telemedicine and EMTALA
• Example and Steps in Telemedicine Credentialing
• CAH Peer Review Issue
• Grievance and Complaints - Process and Procedure
• CMS Interpreter

• CEOs
• COOs
• CFOs
• Nurse Executives (CNO)
• Accreditation and Regulation Director
• Nurse Managers
• Pharmacists
• Pharmacist Compliance Officers
• Health information management
• Nurses
• Nurse Educators
• Nursing Supervisors
• Quality Managers
• Risk Managers
• Healthcare Attorneys
• Patient safety officer
• Infection preventionist
• Radiology director
• Emergency Department Directors
• Outpatient Director
• Medication Team
• Ethicist
• Director of Rehab: OT, PT, speech pathology, and audiology
• CRNA
• Anesthesia providers
• Radiology staff
• QAPI staff
• Policy and Procedure Committee
• Infection Control Committee Members