How Does Telemedicine Impact Health Care?
May 23, 2019
As technology continues to evolve, telemedicine is becoming a more common practice in the health care industry. More health care organizations are implementing telehealth platforms for non-urgent services. In fact, close to 90 percent of healthcare organizations in this country rely on telemedicine. However, physicians have a responsibility to determine whether this type of practice meets the needs of their patients, particularly when it comes to prescribing medications without conducting an in-office exam. If a patient’s health is compromised as a result of the services provided via telemedicine, an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can recommend the best legal course of action.
According to the American Telemedicine Association, telemedicine is a provision of services that allows patients to use telecommunications technology to seek medical care from providers from a remote location. This can be done using videoconferencing, remote patient monitoring, or image capturing. All technology must comply with HIPAA, HITECH, and state regulations. In addition, providers must follow in-person medical practice standards, medical licensing boards, and informed consent requirements.
Medical Malpractice and Telemedicine
Because telemedicine is still a relatively new practice, there are few legal opinions that address malpractice issues related to telemedicine. However, there are several issues that that come up repeatedly. For example, prisoners have reported cases of medical neglect stemming from telemedicine. In addition, when physicians write prescriptions for patients based on questionnaires that patients submit over the internet, it can lead to serious problems if the physician is unable to conduct a physical examination or verify the patient’s health in person. Telemedicine also raises concerns about a third-party’s liability for accepting prescriptions from a physician who practices in another state.
Physicians should seek legal counsel about liability issues surrounding telemedicine. Malpractice risks are more complicated than traditional malpractice claims because of jurisdiction issues, procedural issues, and duty of care. If a physician is treating a patient via telemedicine, and the patient lives in another state, the liability laws, statute of limitations, and damage caps may be different.
Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Victims of Telemedicine Malpractice
If your health has been compromised due to medical care you received via telemedicine, it is in your best interest to contact the Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. Your healthcare provider is responsible for providing the best, most thorough care to all patients. If some aspect of telemedicine has caused you harm, our experienced and dedicated team will work tirelessly to protect your legal rights and ensure that you receive the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent medical malpractice victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.
