ATA releases draft guidelines on telestroke, telehealth, telemental health

The American Telemedicine Association is requesting feedback for the recently posted drafts of practice guidelines for telestroke, pediatric telehealth and child and adolescent telemental health.

The new draft guidelines are the first to address the matters in these areas of telehealth care. In order to ensure effective patient care and safety, the ATA has opened the guidelines to comments from clinicians.

In summary the draft guidelines include:

• Telestroke: The draft includes guidelines for clinical, administrative and technical matters in regards to telestroke care.
• Pediatric Telehealth: The draft includes guidelines on patient privacy and confidentiality, patient safety, clinical encounters and legal and regulatory considerations.
• Child and Adolescent Telemental Health: The draft includes guidelines on administration, legal and regulatory issues, general telehealth practices with pediatric patients, technology, telemental health interventions and mental health emergencies.