{"id":12896,"date":"2020-04-13T17:57:44","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T22:57:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timelycareprod.wpengine.com\/?p=12896"},"modified":"2023-04-21T18:42:48","modified_gmt":"2023-04-21T23:42:48","slug":"state-licensure-considerations-for-the-adoption-of-telehealth-services-in-higher-education-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timelycare.com\/blog\/state-licensure-considerations-for-the-adoption-of-telehealth-services-in-higher-education-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"State Licensure Considerations for the Adoption of Telehealth Services in Higher Education During COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an unprecedented demand for telehealth services. analysts expect virtual healthcare interactions to surpass 1 billion by year\u2019s end, according to recent reports<\/a>. And healthcare resources at higher education institutions are dealing with a student population dispersed across the country because of campus closures to limit the spread of the virus.\u00a0Medical and mental health providers are left to sort through the complication of state licensures for out-of-state students and the possible legal implications of non-compliance, such as loss or suspension of licensure.<\/p>

Complications of state licensure for remote care<\/h4>

As of September 2020, the recommendation from the federal government is for all states to issue emergency licensure waivers to allow clinicians with licenses in good standing to deliver care nationwide, but it is the decision of each individual state to manage emergency licensure waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, states are not uniformly waiving licensure requirements<\/a> for medical and mental health providers.<\/p>

This confusion at the state level has led some higher education institutions to act upon the federal recommendation, and provide care across state lines that may not be compliant with the current state regulation. There remains great variance between states, with some waiving requirements entirely, some providing forms of emergency licensure, and others not providing any declaration.<\/p>

In response to COVID-19 and to support the needs of higher education institutions, TimelyCare has introduced Campus.Health<\/a> \u2014 an immediate telehealth solution that enables students to access medical and mental health services anytime, anywhere. The program offers no-cost visits for students and can be implemented within 24 hours.<\/p>

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights also recently stated<\/a> that it \u201cwill not impose penalties for non-compliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.” This means that providers can utilize non-encrypted video technology — like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Apple FaceTime — during the COVID-19 emergency.<\/p>

However, the removal of technology regulations does not remove the need for other compliance issues related to care, like state licensure. The HHS has also recommended using video platforms with encryption whenever possible. And the agency advises that patients should be alerted to the fact non-encrypted third-party platforms pose a privacy risk.<\/p>

Considerations for college and university clinics<\/h4>

Providers at college and university clinics who are currently using or considering virtual care need to consider the following:<\/p>