Telehealth policy guide for nurse practitioners: A compliance checklist

Telehealth expanded health care delivery since the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). In early 2020, emergency declarations and subsequent policy changes resulted in telehealth flexibilities to support health care providers limit the spread of disease and maintain access to health services. Pandemic policies affected provider licensing requirements, cross-state practice, telemedicine modality, prescribing rules, privacy and security discretions, and reimbursement. On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced it would end the PHE on May 11, 2023, which means some telehealth flexibilities in effect since 2020 will expire at various times through December 31, 2024, in the absence of permanent legislation. It can be challenging for nurse practitioners (NPs) to remain up to date on telehealth rules and regulations in a changing regulatory environment. The purpose of this article is to discuss telehealth policy and propose a checklist, developed specifically for NPs, to guide compliance with federal and state laws. Nurse practitioners using telehealth must work within their scope of practice and follow discipline-specific guidance to avoid potential malpractice.