Defining emergency telehealth

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Telehealth
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Emergency telehealth lacks a standardized definition, creating inconsistencies in practice.
• The American College of Emergency Physicians recognized the need for a clear definition aligned with emergency medicine principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a working definition of emergency telehealth.
• To establish clarifying statements for the context and application of emergency telehealth.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi method was employed.
• Section membership included diverse telehealth providers from various settings (public/private, academic/industry, rural/urban).

Main Results:

• A final definition of emergency telehealth was developed.
• Six clarifying statements were created to contextualize the definition.
• Emergency telehealth is defined as remotely providing care for acute conditions requiring expeditious treatment, regardless of prior patient-provider relationship.

Conclusions:

• The established definition is crucial for global emergency physicians and patients seeking acute care.
• Recommendations include ensuring provider qualifications, parity reimbursement, and safe, efficient, timely, cost-effective care delivery.
• Implementing this definition promotes high-quality emergency services through telehealth.