ATA Endorses First Telemedicine Accreditation Program

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) has announced its first endorsement for a telemedicine accreditation program: the new Telemedicine Accreditation Program (TAP), developed by the ClearHealth Quality Institute (CHQI). Achieving CHQI accreditation will indicate that the organization follows certain clinical guidelines for telemedicine to ensure quality and safety and provide consumers with assurance of quality from an independent accrediting body.

The goal of TAP is to promote access to high quality, competent, and safe healthcare no matter what type of telemedicine modality, model, or type of clinical services is used. Applicants are evaluated in multiple core areas such as quality and patient safety, clinical workflows, professional oversight, and risk management.

The two organizations partnered in May 2017 to develop updated telemedicine standards. The original Accreditation Program for Online Patient Consultations was established by the ATA in 2015; with the support of the ATA, the CHQI Telemedicine Standard Committee expanded the program to cover all types of telemedicine modalities. The new TAP standards were developed with industry experts and were based on expert consensus, clinical guidelines, and laws and regulations.

Organizations operating in the U.S. and directly involved in providing telemedicine services and programs may register with CHQI and apply for accreditation.

To learn more about TAP or to apply, click here.

To read more about how TAP was developed, visit mHealthIntelligence here.