The reader should review the core guidelines first to provide the context for proper understanding and implementation of the Practice Guidelines for Ocular Telehealth-Diabetic Retinopathy. 4 Recommendations in the core guidelines are not repeated herein except to emphasize or expand upon a particular point, or to provide domain-specific detail. These guidelines are intended to be used as a companion to the ATA Core Operational Guidelines for Telehealth Services. In situations wherein either or both parties are not within the United States, these guidelines may be referenced, but any local guidelines that are in place should take precedence.
These guidelines pertain primarily to health care professionals and patients located in the United States.
HOUSTON RETINA ASSOCIATES CLEAR LAKE PROFESSIONAL
When guidelines, position statements, or standards from any other professional organization or society exist, health professionals should also review these documents and, as appropriate, incorporate them into practice. The guidelines apply to individual practitioners, group and specialty practices, hospitals and health care systems, and other providers of health-related services where there are telehealth interactions between patients and health care service providers. The following document includes fundamental requirements to be followed when providing medical and other health care services using telecommunication technologies, and any other electronic communications between patients, practitioners, and other health care providers, as well as “best practice” recommendations. Any modification or reproduction of the published guidelines must receive prior approval by the ATA. All guidelines issued by the ATA are properties of the ATA. This third edition reflects new evidence, new technologies, and expanded scope of the ocular telehealth domain. The previous ATA Ocular Telehealth Diabetic Retinopathy Practice Guidelines were issued in 2011. However, the technical and administrative guidelines do not purport to establish binding legal standards for delivering telemedicine services. The guidelines in this document are based on the accumulated knowledge and experience of the ATA workgroups, eye care and telemedicine professionals, and other stakeholders, and generally describe the evidenced-based best practices for ocular telehealth. Similarly, technological advances may alter prevailing practices or provide new and expanded opportunities. Appropriate divergence from the guidelines may be indicated under certain conditions, such as emergency situations or locations with limited resources or other unavoidable constraints. Safe and effective practice requires technical training, professional knowledge and skill, and explicit processes as described in each document.Īdherence to these guidelines alone will not guarantee accurate diagnoses, appropriate clinical treatment, or optimal outcomes.
The purpose of these guidelines is to assist providers in pursuing a sound course of action in providing safe and effective medical care using telehealth tools based on current scientific knowledge, technological requirements, and patient needs.
Guidelines are reviewed and updated periodically. The process for developing these guidelines is based on evidence, professional consensus, and a rigorous review, including open public commentary period, with final approval by the ATA Board of Directors. The guidelines are developed by panels that include experts from the field and other strategic stakeholders, and are designed to serve as a standard reference and educational tool for professionals using telehealth tools for health care service delivery. The ATA has embarked on an organized effort to establish guidelines for the practice of telemedicine in various clinical applications to define patient and provider expectations, aspire to uniform quality of service for patients and providers, enhance patient experience, and enable providers to deliver appropriate care using evidence-based practices. The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) brings together diverse groups from traditional medicine, academia, technology, telecommunications companies, e-health, allied professional and nursing associations, medical associations, government, military, regulatory, and other stakeholders to address and advance compliance with legal, ethical, and professional standards in the practice of telemedicine.
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