Telemedicine and Telehealth

What is telemedicine?
Telemedicine is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance. A physician in one location uses a telecommunications infrastructure to deliver care to a patient at a distant site.

What is telehealth?
Telehealth refers broadly to electronic and telecommunications technologies and services used to provide care and services at-a-distance.

What’s the difference?
Telehealth is different from telemedicine in that it refers to a broader scope of remote health care services than telemedicine. Telemedicine refers specifically to remote clinical services, while telehealth can refer to remote non-clinical services.

What is the AAFP’s position on telemedicine?
The American Academy of Family Physicians supports expanded use of telemedicine as an appropriate and efficient means of improving health, when conducted within the context of appropriate standards of care.

AAFP backgrounder on telemedicine:
http://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/health_it/telehealth/BKG-Telemedicine.pdf

Resources

Relevant AAFP Policies:
• Telehealth and Telemedicine: http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/telemedicine.html
• Payment for Non Face-to-Face Physician Services: http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/payment-services.html

AAFP News Coverage of Telemedicine and Telehealth:
• Bill to Expand Telehealth in TRICARE Preserves State Licensure
• AAFP Calls for Caution in Teleheath Bill's Language
• Low Use of Telehealth Tied to Flawed Payment Models
• MedPAC Explores Expansion of Payment for Telemedicine
• Gauging the Promise and Perils of Telemedicine
• Barriers Impede Telemedicine's Potential: AAFP Leader Voices
• Barriers Hindering Use of Telemedicine: In the Trenches

Research from the Robert Graham Center:
• Widespread Telemedicine Adoption Blocked by Training, Payment Barriers(www.graham-center.org)
• Only 15% of FPs Report Using Telehealth; Training and Lack of Reimbursement Are Top Barriers(www.graham-center.org)
• Family Physicians and Telehealth: Findings from a National Survey(www.graham-center.org)(22 page PDF)

AAFP Advocacy on Telemedicine and Telehealth:
• AAFP Letter to Congress on the National Defense Authorization Act - September 1, 2016
• AAFP Letter to Energy & Commerce Regarding Telemedicine Proposal - June 16, 2014
• AAFP Letter to Rep. Thompson Regarding the Telehealth Draft - May 9, 2014