Posted By camss webmaster on February 18th, 2012
CDPH’s AFL re: Telemedicine Provider
TO: General Acute Care Hospitals
Acute Psychiatric Hospitals
Special Hospitals
SUBJECT: Telemedicine Providers
The purpose of this letter is to inform facilities of recently enacted state legislation and to reiterate Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) rules regarding telemedicine. Authority: Title 22 California Code of Regulations Sections 70701, 70703, 70705 (a), Business and Professions Code (B&P) Section 2290.5, and Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations Section 482.12.
Effective January 1, 2012, B&P Code Section 2290.5 aligns state law with CMS guidance regarding Title 42 Code of Federal Regulation Section 482.12 to allow the governing board of a hospital to grant privileges to, and verify and approve credentials, for providers of telehealth services based on its medical staff recommendations, and allows reliance on information provided by the hospital where the telemedicine provider is already privileged. A hospital may privilege a physician based on information received by a telehealth entity (other than a hospital) if the telehealth entity uses credentialing and privileging standards equivalent to those used by a CMS certified hospital.
Additionally, consent for telehealth services may be obtained verbally and must be documented in the patient’s medical record.
The process used by a hospital to credential and privilege out-of-state providers whose services are furnished through telemedicine may be determined by the facility and should be memorialized in its bylaws and policies and procedures.
Clink on the link to view the CDPH letter LNC-AFL-12-05 Telemedicine
Posted By webmaster on January 30th, 2012
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION MEDICAL STAFF SERVICES
Slate of Candidates - 2012
Please see the candidate statement for all candidates following their names and region:
NORTHWEST REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE– VOTING WILL BEGIN MARCH 1, 2012
Sylvia Duarte, CPMSM (incumbent)
Robyn Pierce, CPCS, CPMSM
GREATER LA REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE – ELECTED BY ACCLAMATION
Deana Bernard, CPMSM
CENTRAL REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE - ELECTED BY ACCLAMATION
Pam Reeves
Posted By CAMSS Webmaster on December 31st, 2011
New Influenza Vaccination JC standards that become effective 7/1/2012.
Standard IC.02.04.01 Influenza Vaccination for Licensed Independent Practitioners and Staff (HAP, CAH, LTC)
For Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals and Long Term Care
December 2, 2011
This voice recorded slide presentation focuses on revised Standard IC.02.04.01 Influenza Vaccination for Licensed Independent Practitioners and Staff, for Critical Access Hospitals, Hospitals and Long Term Care accreditation programs. This revised standard will go into effect on July 1, 2012. During the presentation each of the nine elements of performance will be reviewed.
Click on link http://www.jointcommission.org/ic020401_CAH_HAP_LTC/
Posted By CAMSS Webmaster on December 13th, 2011
Telemedicine Requirements
December 14, 2011
Final revisions to requirements related to the credentialing and privileging of telemedicine practitioners in hospitals and critical access hospitals.
Standards LD.04.03.09, MS.13.01.01, and MS.01.01.01
Prepublication Standards – effective immediately.
Click on link http://www.jointcommission.org/telemedicine_requirements/
Posted By CAMSS Webmaster on December 13th, 2011
Click on the link: AB 655 new law is passed
Excerpt below:
BILL NUMBER: AB 655 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 380
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
PASSED THE SENATE JULY 14, 2011
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 6, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 1, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 5, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hayashi
FEBRUARY 16, 2011
An act to add Section 809.08 to the Business and Professions Code,
relating to healing arts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 655, Hayashi. Healing arts: peer review.
Existing law provides for the professional review of specified
healing arts licentiates through a peer review process conducted by
peer review bodies, as defined.
Posted By CAMSS Webmaster on October 10th, 2011
The following is a notice sent out by CHA (California Hospital Association) regarding AB 415 which updates Telehealth law and regulations and will become effective January 1, 2012.
Lynn M. Lopes, CPMSM, CPCS
President, California Association Medical Staff Services
*************************
TO: CHA Member Chief Executive Officers
FROM: Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President, Rural Health Care and Governance
SUBJECT: Governor Signs Telehealth Credentialing Bill
Governor Brown has signed CHA-supported AB 415 (Logue, R-Chico) — the Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011. The new law, effective January 1, 2012, will update California telehealth law and remove outdated administrative and regulatory policy barriers. It will also update the legal definition of telehealth, streamline approval processes for telehealth services, and support the expansion of telehealth services statewide.
In addition, CHA negotiated language amending the final bill that will have a significant impact on the process of credentialing and privileging of telemedicine physicians and practitioners and allow hospitals to make greater use of telehealth services.
Background
In March 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule, effective July 5, 2011, implementing changes to the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) to provide more flexibility in credentialing and privileging telehealth practitioners. The changes clarify that the governing body at the hospital providing telemedicine services — the distant-site hospital — is responsible for verifying and approving credentials and granting privileges. This change allows hospitals receiving telemedicine services to grant privileges based on staff recommendations that rely on information from the distant-site hospitals that previously privileged the practitioner.
After CMS announced the final rule, however, the California Department of Public Health issued an All Facilities Letter (AFL-11-33) indicating that Title 22 CCR Section 70705 (a) requires hospitals to verify physicians wishing to practice at their facility are licensed under the provisions of the Medical Practice Act. As a result, the optional credentialing process permitted by the federal CoPs could not be implemented in California.
Due to CHA’s negotiations, AB 415 will allow for the optional credentialing process permitted by CMS. As signed into law, AB 415 authorizes the governing body of the hospital using telehealth services to verify and approve credentials and grant privileges for telehealth providers based on the hospital’s medical staff recommendations that rely on information provided by the distant-site hospital. Telehealth is further defined as including telemedicine.
Posted By CAMSS Webmaster on August 24th, 2010
Maritza Thorpe, CPCS - Superior Vision Services (Northeast Region)
Phillip J. Iverson, BA, CPCS - Fresno Surgical Hospital (Central Region)
Cynthia Manglona, BS, CPCS, CPMSM - Washington Hospital (Northwest Region)
Marissa Harris, CPCS - Kaiser Permanente Hospital, San Diego (Southern Region)
Victor Rodriquez, CPCS - Medical Staff Services Registry (Greater LA Region)