What is required for an OD to conduct telehealth practices legally?

Obtaining verbal and informed consent is a crucial requirement for an optometrist (OD) to conduct telehealth practices legally. This consent process ensures that patients are properly informed about the nature of the telehealth services they will be receiving, including any potential risks, benefits, and alternatives to the care being provided. It is a means of ensuring that patients understand their rights and the scope of the services being offered remotely, thus fostering trust and transparency in the patient-provider relationship.

Informed consent is particularly important in telehealth, where the lack of physical presence can limit some aspects of patient assessment and interaction. Ensuring that patients are not only aware but agree to the procedures and the virtual format is fundamental to abiding by legal and ethical standards in healthcare delivery.

While other requirements might contribute to the overall legal framework for telehealth, they do not specifically address the need for patient consent, which is central to this practice. This makes obtaining verbal and informed consent a distinct and necessary component for ODs looking to operate within telehealth services.