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Overview

Data monitoring, from the highest level down to the patient level is critical to identifying trends, gaining insights, and communicating transparently with staff and stakeholders. Data monitoring approaches such as dashboarding are used to display data in a simple and intuitive way, allowing a snapshot of performance on selected measures to see changes or areas for improvement. Business intelligence systems such as population health management analytics allows for the monitoring of the health of a whole patient population, stratified by various characteristics, thereby supporting care planning, resource allocation, and training opportunities. Resources in this section include tools to begin dashboarding, considerations for taking the next step with population health management and guidance on how to navigate the many factors of any data monitoring approach.

Monitoring and Communicating with Data
Using non-traditional technology for telehealth during COVID-19 Pandemic
HITEQ Center
/ Categories: Privacy and Security, Privacy & Security Best Practices, HIPAA, Telehealth

Using non-traditional technology for telehealth during COVID-19 Pandemic

Issue Brief for implementing commercial applications for telehealth consistent with March 2020 OCR Guidance

Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR), the entity responsible for enforcing regulations under HIPAA, stated, effective immediately, it will exercise enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for HIPAA violations against covered healthcare providers if patients are served on a good faith basis during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. OCR has clarified that, during this public health emergency, these technologies can be used for any services, not only those specific to COVID-19. OCR’s guidance states, “covered healthcare providers may use popular applications that allow for video chats, including Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, or Skype, to provide telehealth without risk that OCR might seek to impose a penalty for noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules.” Providers should ensure communication products are non-public facing.

Using one of these technologies should be a last resort, secondary to using traditional telehealth, such as traditional telehealth modalities have healthcare-specific features and security. OCR stresses the importance of using HIPAA-compliant telehealth applications whenever possible from vendors who will enter into Business Association Agreements (BAAs).

Download the resource below for Issue Brief to support implementation of this guidance, including at-a-glance reference of acceptable and unacceptable apps as well as list of Dos and Don'ts.

Documents to download

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Tags: telehealth HHS HIPAA OCR privacy & security COVID-19

Related Resources

Acknowledgements

This resource collection was compiled by the HITEQ Center staff with guidance from HITEQ Advisory Committee members and collaborators of the HITEQ Center.

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