During the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare providers have relied on telehealth options to provide patients access to care. But, as I discussed in a recent article for Physicians Practice, “As long as utilization of telehealth services remains high, corresponding scrutiny and government enforcement efforts will remain focused on this area.”
In the article, I recommend ways that physicians and other providers can prepare for this additional scrutiny:
- Do not rely on other parties’ representations that certain practices or arrangements comply with applicable regulations and restrictions.
- Maintain clear documentation of patient engagement, which remains particularly critical with telehealth.
- Track and stay up to date on the constantly changing regulatory landscape.
- Audit, analyze, and know your own data.
- Document compliance-related measures and decisions.
The full article, “Telehealth Fraud and Abuse Enforcement Efforts Unlikely to Taper,” was published by Physicians Practice on May 27 and is available online.