Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Issues in Telehealth Technology

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

1-1-2016

School

Psychology

Abstract

The use of communication devices and other assistive technology to deliver professional health services to clients in remote locations is frequently referred to as telehealth. Pioneered by the medical field, telehealth is becoming increasingly more prevalent in other human service fields, such as professional psychology, and appears to be an effective, efficient, and acceptable service delivery platform. The digital delivery of psychological services introduces a host of ethical, legal, and regulatory issues that practitioners must be familiar with if they intend to use telehealth technology to provide services remotely. The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize readers with professional guidelines that have been established by state laws, regulatory boards, and professional organizations to govern the use of telehealth; to discuss specific ethical concerns related to privacy, confidentiality, and informed consent in telehealth; and to address issues regarding third-party reimbursement for telehealth services.

Publication Title

Computer-Assisted and Web-Based Innovations in Psychology, Special Education, and Health

First Page

339

Last Page

363

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