This article explores top remote patient monitoring (RPM) and telehealth accreditation and certification programs. We outline program requirements, benefits, and how they empower qualified healthcare professionals to impact value-based patient care and build competitive advantage.
Why Telehealth Accreditation and Certification?
The future of healthcare lies in digital technologies and big data, with the American Hospital Association predicting that digital health could account for 35% of home health visits and 24% of outpatient visits. Furthermore, over 50% of hospitals have already implemented inpatient telehealth services.
A comprehensive study assessed faculty readiness and learning needs for integrating virtual technologies into nursing curricula. The findings reported strong support from clinical and tenured faculty for including virtual health. Study participants showed eagerness in expanding their knowledge and incorporating virtual health content into teaching.
However, they expressed concerns about their educational requirements and the need for guidance in integrating these concepts. Fortunately, accreditation and certificate programs are available to assist healthcare professionals and organizations navigate these new technologies, and ensure the delivery of high-quality virtual care.
Telehealth Accreditation and Certification: What’s the Difference?
Telehealth accreditation involves an impartial third-party validation process conducted through a comprehensive survey to assess whether a healthcare organization’s policies, procedures, and care delivery meet established standards for quality and safety. Telehealth certification entails a targeted review and evaluation of a specific program within a healthcare organization, evaluating it against recognized standards for specialized care.
Both options aim to implement effective processes that ensure individual patient needs are met with the highest level of care and services. In addition, both accreditation and certification programs recognize an organization’s dedication to continuous quality improvement, operational efficiency, and safety.
URAC Telehealth Accreditation Program
The Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) is an internationally recognized digital health accrediting body which offers the URAC Telehealth Accreditation program to recognize healthcare organizations that utilize connected health platforms. The URAC accreditation process for RPM programs generally takes 4 months and accreditation lasts for 3 years with annual reporting of quality measures. Participants of the program must be physicians, nurses, hospital systems or health plans, specialty care organizations and organizations that offer telehealth services.
The program covers clinical guidelines and oversight into, regulatory and policy issues, professional oversight, clinical workflow, risk management standards of care, patient and quality safety in addition to:
- Consumer-to-Provider (C2P): Patient initiated services that take place in the home or out of a clinical setting.
- Provider-to-Consumer (P2C): Provider initiated services that take place in clinical and non-clinical sites.
- Provider-to-Provider (P2P) : Provider services that are primarily for specialty consultation, which usually take place in a clinical setting.
URAC lists the following as key benefits of their telehealth accreditation program.
- Developing a patient-centric playbook with standardized processes, policies, and metrics to deliver quality care efficiently.
- Validation of privacy, security, and safety requirements for telehealth technology.
- Improving health outcomes through strategic patient access, engagement, and value creation.
- Enhanced credibility and contracting power by assuring payers of organizational rigor.
- Risk management through standards that prevent, protect, and mitigate liabilities.
- A roadmap for ongoing improvement to streamline telehealth operations and systems.
URAC Remote Patient Monitoring Accreditation
URAC’s Remote Patient Monitoring Accreditation program is the first comprehensive program to assess critical aspects of remote patient monitoring, including operations, clinical oversight, quality, technology, and risk management. RPM accreditation is different from the URAC Telehealth Accreditation program. The RPM accreditation focuses on the digital communication link between the provider and the patient over time, while URAC reports that telemedicine represents the actual virtual care encounter between the provider and the patient in addition to the two-way communication link.
By meeting URAC’s rigorous standards, healthcare providers can demonstrate their commitment to delivering high-quality, safe, and effective RPM services. URAC remote patient monitoring accreditation sets national standards to promote optimal practices in delivering top-quality digital healthcare services.
According to URAC, applicants must be a corporate entity that provides or supports RPM services. The RPM URAC accreditation process generally takes months or less and accreditation lasts 3 years.
URAC lists the following as benefits of remote patient monitoring accreditation.
- Accountability: Demonstrates dedication to maintaining high standards in quality, patient privacy, safety, cybersecurity, and consistency.
- Credibility: Enhances an organization’s reputation and gains recognition within the industry as a trusted provider of telehealth services.
- Minimized risk: Maximizes the value of services while reducing potential risks and liabilities.
- Competitive advantage: Differentiates from competitors by showcasing certification.
Remote Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Certifications
As previously noted, telehealth certifications are different from telehealth accreditation. Telehealth certifications offer credentials that allow healthcare professionals to demonstrate proficiency and adherence to established standards in delivering telehealth services. Telehealth and remote patient monitoring certifications cover aspects of RPM and telehealth, including clinical practice, technical ability, data security and privacy, ethical considerations, legal compliance, and patient engagement.
Telehealth certifications aim to ensure that providers can effectively and safely deliver virtual healthcare services while maintaining high-quality care and patient safety. Organizations and entities offer telehealth certifications, each with its requirements and criteria. The American Heart Association (AHA) and ACHC offers telehealth certification courses while URAC also offers a telehealth support services certification.
The following sections highlight certification opportunities for qualified healthcare professionals.
AHA Center for Telehealth Certificate Program
The AHA Center for Telehealth’s CORE (Clinical, Operational, Regulatory, and Ethics) features three telehealth curriculum programs that equips learners with the necessary knowledge of telehealth concepts for successful implementation and delivery across various service areas.
The self-paced program encompasses certification training including:
- CORE Concepts in Telehealth Certificate Program
- Telebehavioral Health Certificate Program
- TelePrimary Care Certificate Program
AHA reports that the telehealth training program is for clinicians and covers remote care includes employee retention and increased efficiency for happier patients. Obtaining this telehealth certificate offers several benefits:
- Validation of knowledge and proficiency in the field
- Demonstration of commitment to telehealth
- Displays dedication to maintaining quality and competency in the field
- Encouragement of lifelong learning and professional development
Telehealth Accreditation Commission for Health Care
The Accreditation Commission for Healthcare, Inc. (ACHC) telehealth certification validates a healthcare organization’s excellence in delivering high-quality, patient-centered telehealth services. The program promotes best practices, empowers healthcare teams, enhances business operations, and organizations stay ahead in the rapidly evolving telehealth landscape.
By attaining ACHC Telehealth Certification, healthcare organizations can:
- Demonstrate commitment to excellence and establish key benchmarks for measuring quality.
- Strengthen trust with patients while standing out from competitors.
- Enhance patient experiences in telehealth.
- Develop risk management strategies to protect an organization.
- Streamline operations to optimize efficiency.
URAC Telehealth Support Services Certification
Telehealth Support Services Certification (TSS) is a URAC accreditation that demonstrates an organization’s commitment to quality, safety, and patient outcomes in telehealth support services. This certification is ideal for vendors or contractors providing services covered by URAC’s Telehealth Accreditation Program.
TSS Certification includes three optional modules: Technical Support, Clinical Support, and Practice Education. Organizations can choose one, two, or all three modules based on their business model.
Benefits of RPM and Telehealth Accreditation and Certification
Telehealth accreditation or certification both play a key role in assuring telehealth and remote patient monitoring services achieve quality, safety, and effectiveness, protect patient interests, ensure compliance with regulations, and prompt advancement and standardization of telehealth practices. More specifically, telehealth accreditation or certification is needed for the following reasons.
- Quality Assurance: Telehealth accreditation or certification encourages healthcare providers to meet specific quality, safety, and efficacy standards. Both establish a benchmark for evaluating the competence and professionalism of telehealth providers, giving patients confidence in the care they receive.
- Patient Safety: Certification or accreditation processes help providers fine-tune their skills, knowledge, and protocols to safeguard patient safety during virtual consultations and remote care.
- Standardization: Certification or accreditation promotes standardization across the industry. It establishes consistent guidelines, best practices, and protocols that telehealth providers should follow. Furthermore, this leads to greater interoperability and improved continuity of care.
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Many jurisdictions have specific legal and regulatory requirements for telehealth and remote patient monitoring services. Certification or accreditation helps providers ensure compliance with these requirements, reducing legal risks and potential liabilities.
- Payor Acceptance: Third-party payors may require certification or accreditation as a reimbursement prerequisite for telehealth and RPM services. Certifications or accreditation may expand opportunities to increase acceptance by payors.
- Industry Recognition: Certification or accreditation in telehealth and RPM demonstrates a provider’s commitment to excellence and innovation in healthcare delivery.
Moreover, telehealth accreditation and certification designations distinguish qualified healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations from non-certified or non-accredited providers, enhancing their reputation and credibility within the industry.
