North Carolina Telehealth Regulations and Laws
Telehealth Regulations in North Carolina
Most states have regulatory provisions governing the provision of virtual care. This article provides clarity on North Carolina’s laws and regulations regarding key requirements for providing telehealth services including: standard of care, online prescribing, establishing the practitioner-patient relationship, informed consent, patient identification requirements, and requirements for medical records. This article also provides information on cross-state licensing and payment parity laws.
If you are looking for more information related to North Carolina’s laws and rules on telehealth, you can review items such as the state medical board’s regulations, applicable health insurance codes (for reimbursement, payer information, etc.), and Medicaid laws.
What is Standard of Care for Telehealth in North Carolina?
Licensees providing care to North Carolina patients via telemedicine will be held to the same established standard of care as those practicing in traditional in-person medical settings.
What is Practitioner-Patient Relationship for Telehealth in North Carolina?
A licensee-patient relationship should be based on an appropriate history and physical examination in addition to overall care that is consistent with the standards of acceptable and prevailing medical practice. The licensee using telemedicine should verify the identity and location of the patient. Furthermore, the licensee’s name, location, and professional credentials should be provided to the patient.
Are There Online Prescription Restrictions for Telehealth in North Carolina?
Prescribing non controlled substances to individuals the licensee has never met that is based solely on answers to a set of questions, as is common in internet telecommunication or toll-free telephone prescribing, is inappropriate and unprofessional.
What is Informed Patient Consent for Telehealth in North Carolina?
Providers should consider providing a statement identifying any unique limitations of the electronic model by which care is being provided. Such patient notification can be distributed prior to providing medical services and included in all direct advertising to the public.
What are Patient Identification Regulations for Telehealth in North Carolina?
Failure to verify the patient’s identity may lead to fraudulent activity or the improper disclosure of confidential patient information. The licensee using telemedicine should verify the identity and location of the patient.
What are Medical Records Regulations for Telehealth in North Carolina?
Board licensed clinicians (i.e., medical board licensed, nursing board licensed, etc.) using telehealth should also maintain a complete medical record that is available to the patient and other treating health care providers.
What are Cross-State Medicine Licensing Regulations for Telehealth in North Carolina?
North Carolina is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC allows nurses to practice out of state in other NLC states without having to obtain additional licenses.
What are Payment Parity Laws for Telehealth in North Carolina?
There is no state law for payment parity for telehealth administered in North Carolina, which means that patients may pay different rates for specific types of telehealth services than they do for in-person care.
What Types of Providers Are Allowed to Offer Telehealth Services in North Carolina?
In the state of North Carolina, the healthcare providers allowed to offer telehealth services include:
Physician assistants
Mental health professionals
Behavioral health specialists
Social workers
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