1.1 Scheduling Telehealth Clinics

Patient Referral and Scheduling are based on:


• Type of patients that can be seen using telehealth consultations.
• Availability of Consulting and Presenting Practitioners.
• Availability of telehealth staff and equipment.

Telehealth Clinics
In general, regularly scheduled telehealth clinics will be set up by specialty and/or location. The days, times, and frequencies of the clinics will be determined jointly by the Telehealth Network Coordinator and Telehealth Site Coordinators based on input from Consultants and Presenters.

The Telehealth Site Coordinators will schedule individual patients into these clinics.

Patients who are unable to attend regularly scheduled clinics may be scheduled on an individual basis.

1.2 UTN Network Connectivity

Scheduling
It is preferable to schedule the Telehealth bridge with a minimum of two weeks notice prior to the actual event. To schedule use of the video conferencing system, contact Telehealth Network Coordinator at 801-585-2426 or 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, leave a voice mail after hours, or email to schedule@utahtelehealth.net.

Testing
Connectivity testing will be coordinated by the Telehealth Network Coordinator, as needed.

Room configuration:

Rooms used for videoconferencing must have a telephone to facilitate testing and troubleshooting.

Connectivity for patient consultations requires a relatively small room set up to simulate the environment of an examination room and to help ensure patient privacy.

For continuing education programs, meetings, or conferences, you will need to have your Telehealth equipment set up in a room that can comfortably accommodate several participants. For broadcasts, please make sure there is a phone available to participants in the room or nearby so they can participate in the presentation.

Point-to-Point Connections
Point-to-point connections involve two sites connected directly to each other. Connection will occur 15 minutes before the actual start of the video conference. Testing of these connections will occur periodically or at the request of particular sites.

Multipoint Connections

These involve connections between multiple sites simultaneously. Connection will occur one-half hour prior to the start of the broadcast or videoconference.

Broadcasts
These are one-way audio/video broadcasts, generally for continuing education credit, originating from the University of Utah. Connection will occur hour prior to the start of the broadcast. During a broadcast, you will not be able to communicate interactively over the system since it is a ONE-WAY feed. Please make sure there is a phone available to participants in the room or nearby so they can participate in the presentation.

1.3 Medical Records

• All permanent patient records will be kept at the referring site.
• The original signed Informed Consent for Telehealth Consultations form will be placed in the patient's permanent medical record.
• Consulting practitioners will send their progress notes from telehealth consultations to the referring site to be put in the patient's permanent medical record.
• The presenter will document the patient's telehealth visit in the permanent medical record.

1.4 Obtaining Informed Consent

The Case Manager, with assistance from the Telehealth Site Coordinator, is responsible for completing the following process.


• Explain to the patient or the patient's parent/guardian the process for a telehealth consultation, including:
1. Description of video conferencing equipment.
2. Description of the room set-up.
3. Personnel involved in the consultation.
• Give the patient or the patient's parent/guardian the Telehealth Patient Information sheet and review it with them.
• Review the Informed Consent for Telehealth Consultations form with the patient or the patient's parent/guardian, answer any questions they may have, and obtain the appropriate signatures.
• The original should be placed in the patient's file and a copy faxed to the Telehealth Network Coordinator. A copy should be kept on file at the Telemedicine Outreach Office and a copy should be given to each consulting practitioner for that patient.
• Signed forms must be dated and are valid for two years.

(Masters of the Telehealth Patient Information and the Informed Consent for Telehealth Consultations are located in the Handbook section under Forms.)

1.5 Video Recording

Utah Telehealth Network Policy
Due to medical record storage issues and patient confidentiality concerns, telehealth consultations will normally not be recorded on video tape.

At times, there may be circumstances when there is a desire to record the telehealth consultation. A few examples may include:


• For the private use of the patient or the patient's parent/guardian.
• For further consultation by health professionals not available during the actual telehealth consultation.
• For training purposes for health professionals.
• For promotional purposes.

Telehealth consultations may be recorded only with the written permission of the patient or the patient's parent/guardian. Written permission, utilizing the Permission for Video Recording form, must be granted every time a recording is made.

(A master of the Permission for Video Recording form can be found in the Handbook section under Forms.)

1.6 Operational Guidelines for Continuing Education Lectures

AHEC


• Advertise lectures via AHEC centers, flyers, etc
• Receive speaker handouts from speakers.
• Send speaker handouts, attendance roster, evaluation forms, and Continuing education certificates to participating sites prior to lecture. This includes the DFPM live audience.
• Arrange for a site coordinator at each AHEC affiliated site. This person will be the contact person during the broadcast. They will also be responsible for distributing the handouts and returning the roster and completed evaluation forms to the Director, AOCE Social Work
• Reserve DFPM Conference Room 309 for all lectures.
• Return completed evaluation forms and roster received from the DFPM audience to the Director, AOCE Social Work
• Store video recordings in office.
• Arrange for payment of the speakers.