Reader response: COVID-19 is catalyzing the adoption of teleneurology
Nitin K.Sethi, Associate Professor of Neurology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center (New York City)
Submitted April 14, 2020
I read with interest the editorial on COVID-19 and teleneurology.1 The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way neurology is practiced in the United States. While physicians were encouraged to practice telehealth through their existing electronic health record (EHR) software, telehealth could be pursed via Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime or a telephone encounter. The above measures are a welcome relief to both physicians and patients as it helps maintain continuity of essential medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overnight, it seems new documentation guidelines came out with respect to televisits. We were told that physician documentation should include time start/end, participants on call, and physical location of the patient at the time of the televisit. There had to be documentation of verbal consent that the patient understood that this is a billable visit. Patients could not have a phone visit within 7 days following last evaluation and could not be scheduled for an in-patient visit within 24 hours after a telephone visit. The COVID-19 pandemic is going to change the world as we knew it. When it comes to the practice of medicine, the rules are expected to change, too. While some old barriers have thankfully fallen, unfortunately new barriers have come up.
Disclosure
The author reports no relevant disclosures. Contact journal@neurology.org for full disclosures.
Reference
Klein BC, Busis NA. COVID-19 is catalyzing the adoption of teleneurology. Neurology 2020 Epub Apr 1.
I read with interest the editorial on COVID-19 and teleneurology.1 The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way neurology is practiced in the United States. While physicians were encouraged to practice telehealth through their existing electronic health record (EHR) software, telehealth could be pursed via Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime or a telephone encounter. The above measures are a welcome relief to both physicians and patients as it helps maintain continuity of essential medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overnight, it seems new documentation guidelines came out with respect to televisits. We were told that physician documentation should include time start/end, participants on call, and physical location of the patient at the time of the televisit. There had to be documentation of verbal consent that the patient understood that this is a billable visit. Patients could not have a phone visit within 7 days following last evaluation and could not be scheduled for an in-patient visit within 24 hours after a telephone visit. The COVID-19 pandemic is going to change the world as we knew it. When it comes to the practice of medicine, the rules are expected to change, too. While some old barriers have thankfully fallen, unfortunately new barriers have come up.
Disclosure
The author reports no relevant disclosures. Contact journal@neurology.org for full disclosures.
Reference