Telehealth Checklist

Telehealth involves the use of electronic communications to enable health care providers at different locations to share individual patient health information to improve patient care. The information may be used for diagnosis, therapy services, follow-up, and education, and may include any of the following:

· Patient health records 

· Live two-way audio or video 

· Output data from health devices and sound and video files

Electronic systems used will incorporate network and software security protocols to protect the confidentiality of patient identification and imaging data. They will include measures to safeguard the data and to ensure its integrity against intentional or unintentional corruption. The confidentiality and privacy-compliant software provider the UDCC uses is “SimplePractice.”

Expected Benefits:

· Improved access to mental health care. 

· More efficient evaluation and management. 

· Obtaining expertise of a distant specialist.

Possible Risks:

As with any health procedure, there are potential risks associated with the use of telehealth. These risks include, but may not be limited to:

· Delays in health evaluation and treatment could occur due to deficiencies or failures of the equipment; 

· In rare instances, security protocols could fail, causing a breach of privacy of personal health information. ·

· The current telehealth option is for NON-CRISIS INTERVENTIONS ONLY. If there is an emergency, I will call 911 or present to the nearest Emergency Room.

CHECKLIST:

The UDCC and the individual clinicians adhere to the following precaution practices. Students, too, must follow these practices to ensure best the quality of / care, the delivery of the service, and the confidentiality of sessions.

1. Check the camera and microphone are working correctly before my session – be mindful where the position of the camera is, for ease of use. 

2. Make sure to have decent internet bandwidth. 

3. Make sure that the device used has the capability and speed to perform the necessary tasks. 

4. Close other apps or browsers on the device. 

5. Use the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari. 

6. Set up in a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted, and no one will be within earshot. 

7. Use headphones if possible, for increased security. 

8. Pay attention to the environment: Pay attention to lighting, clear the area of unnecessary clutter, etc. 

9. Please dress mindfully. 

10. Limit distractions that will be present during the session (people, places, things – no philosophy homework during the session!) 

11. Use confidentiality and privacy compliant software systems. The UDCC uses SimplePractice. Other methods, such as Skype, FaceTime, Hangouts, etc., may not be compliant with confidentiality and privacy requirements. 

12. Students are responsible for managing the confidentiality and privacy of their environment.