ATA launches telemedicine accreditation program

One day after launching its accreditation program, American Telemedicine Association (ATA) representatives reported during their monthly telecast that already 50 organizations have signed on.

“That’s a huge beginning,” said ATA CEO Jonathan Linkous of first-day registrants to the program, which is tailored to healthcare providers who offer online patient consultations.

The program, which provides accreditation for a maximum of three years, is directed to organizations providing services online in real-time directly to consumers in the U.S., said Jordana Bernard, ATA's senior director of program services.

The program is built around a set of standards that organizations would have to be in compliance with. It was developed over the past two years, she said. “We worked closely with a wide variety of organizations, from small practices to big health systems to professional societies.”

Standards are the “heart and soul” of the program. They are the accumulation of best practices by expert consensus, and align with federal and state rules. It’s about “clinical services delivered in a safe manner to the customer,” she said.

The accreditation program covers three areas:

• Operational policies and procedures, which deal with compliance with state regulations, qualifications of the service providers, onboarding and training and continuity of care
• Clinical practice areas, which address practice guidelines, policies around the scope of clinical services, vertification or provider information and education
• Consumers, which involves rights and recourse, information about services being delivered, transparency in fees

Once the ATA receives an application, it is then reviewed by the commission. Any organization found to be in full compliance with the program would receive approval to use a seal and place it on its website and promotional materials. “It sets them apart from other organizations and shows that they are committed,” she said, adding that these organizations will be listed on the ATA’s consumer website.

The program also will have an impact in the insurance space. “A number of payers will be paying attention to this and using it for their own programs,” said Linkous.

Bernard clarified that the first round of applicants is limited to ATA’s sustaining circle members, but on March 1, it will be open to all member categories as well as non-members. There is a fee structure to participate based on the size of the organization, she said.

The accreditation program is at one level, so organizations must meet all requirements. “To actually receive the accreditation seal, you’ll have to be 100 percent in compliance with the standards.”

Bernard could not specify how long it would take to receive a seal after the application is submitted but did say “we will be working as efficiently as we can to move the applications through.”