Telehealth Toolkit
The Telehealth Toolkit is a collection of resources from various organizations and programs. The Telehealth Toolkit was created by the EIIC to house best practice educational resources to empower all providers of pediatric emergency care, patients, families, advocates and EMSC stakeholders to deliver the highest quality of care and support to all children. The goal of the Telehealth Toolkit is to support the mission of the EIIC to maximize the application of current evidence into clinical practice by front line healthcare providers.
Educational content includes multiple delivery methods to provide learners with diverse experiences to match their varied needs including interactive scholarly literature, webinars, YouTube videos, articles, frameworks, guidelines, and information hubs.
Legislation & Policies
Telehealth regulations vary across states and territories. Each team should identify and become well-versed in the policies and regulations that will facilitate the development of telehealth programs for the target population(s).
Funding, Support & Reimbursement
Federal and state/territory agencies as well as several professional organizations have developed funding opportunities to support the development and expansion of telehealth services. Additionally, reimbursement programs vary by payor source, telehealth service provided, and location.
Technology
The use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support: long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. This also includes any technology that is used to store, share, or analyze health information.
Telehealth Training & Education
The availability of telehealth education or training programs. These programs may be part of a series, stand-alone, and/or offered in a variety of formats (e.g. online, podcast, etc.). It is important to recognize that all individuals seeking and/or participating in the provision of telehealth services may require education to facilitate participation and effectiveness. Some education or training programs may be incentivized.
Telehealth Workforce
The telehealth workforce may include diverse clinician levels, technical staff and community health or support staff who assist patients and their families in accessing telehealth services. Efforts that foster recruitment of additional workforce members or expansion of service areas can facilitate growth and development of telehealth programs.
Access to Telehealth Services
Access to telehealth services depends on available technology, support services, and other accommodations (e.g. interpreter services or ADA accommodations). Mechanisms to address these challenges and increase awareness of available telehealth services may result in increased utilization.
Safe & Conducive Environment
Telehealth has the potential to provide increased visibility of a patient’s home or alternative environments but also limited awareness of others who may be present. Mechanisms that support patient privacy and confidentiality need to be well-integrated into telehealth visits. Additionally, the use of modern technology may be in opposition to cultural or religious norms. Mechanisms should be in place to adapt and ensure cultural humility and patient and provider-centeredness.
Care Coordination
As healthcare becomes a more complex environment, it is critical to ensure telehealth services are well integrated into the larger system of care. Mechanisms that ensure care coordination decrease risk of mismanagement, miscommunication, and inefficiencies, in addition to building broader partnerships.
High Quality Care
The value a telehealth service brings to a patient or community is dependent on the likelihood of achieving desired health outcomes. The shift in modality to telehealth should not compromise patient care. Efforts need to be in place to measure and ensure effectiveness, efficiency, equity, patient-centeredness, safety, and timeliness of the service provided.