CMS Issues Long-Term Care Nursing Homes Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit

CMS has issued an electronic tool kit regarding telehealth and telemedicine for long-term care nursing home facilities. This document contains electronic links to reliable sources of information regarding telehealth and telemedicine, including the significant changes made by CMS in response to the COVID-19 national health emergency. 

Most of the information is directed toward providers who may want to establish a permanent telemedicine program, but there is information that will help in the temporary deployment of a telemedicine program as well. There are specific documents identified that will be useful in choosing telemedicine vendors, equipment, and software, initiating a telemedicine program, monitoring patients remotely, and developing documentation tools. There is also information that will be useful for providers who intend to care for patients through electronic virtual services that may be temporarily used during the COVID-19 pandemic.