Modality match process
You should use your best judgment in determining whether the clinical circumstances warrant proceeding with a new patient telehealth visit.
Legal guidance
- Please see our licensure & reimbursement page for the latest guidance on telehealth new patient visits
- You must still obtain and document the patient’s informed consent for telehealth services. Refer to the Telehealth verbal consent workflow.
- If visit is already underway when it is determined that care cannot be delivered effectively using telehealth services, you should suspend the phone and/or video visit and direct the patient to schedule an in-person appointment or to the emergency room, as appropriate. Note that the patient and/or payer should not be billed for this suspended visit.
Documentation
- For visit documentation, the following SmartPhrase has been added to existing telemedicine documentation:
This visit does not require an in-person evaluation and can be conducted remotely via telehealth systems without adversely affecting the quality of care delivered.
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Please use approved health system telemedicine documentation phrases including .COVTELEDOC, .COVVIDEO, and .COVTELEPHONE which will contain the above language.
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Refer to the Documentation procedures for telemedicine tipsheet