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ATA Standards & Guidelines

ATA’s practice guidelines for telemedicine are the critical foundation for the deployment of telemedicine services.  Standards form the basis for uniform, quality patient care and safety, grounded in empirical research and clinical experience. The establishment of such standards also accelerates the adoption of telemedicine by payers, administrators and providers who are full partners with ATA in their development along with industry, government agencies, medical societies and other stakeholders.
  

Completed ATA Standards and Guidelines

The following Standards and Guidelines have been released by ATA. All documents are available to download, at no cost. 
 
Quick Guide to Store-Forward and Live-Interactive Teledermatology for Referring Providers
Quick Guide to Store-Forward and Live-Interactive Teledermatology for Referring Providers
Published April 2012
A concise overview of work-flows, equipment requirements and best practices for both Live (synchronous) and Store-and-Forward (asynchronous) teledermatology. Funding support for this initiative was provided by United Health Foundation.

Details | Download

Expert Consensus Recommendations for Videoconferencing-Based Telepresenting
Expert Consensus Recommendations for Videoconferencing-Based Telepresenting 
Published October 2011
Administrative, technical and clinical standards for health professionals using videoconferencing-based telepresenting to connect patients with remote medical providers. Funding support for this initiative was provided by United Health Foundation.

Details | Download
Telehealth Practice Recommendations for Diabetic Retinopathy (February 2011)
Telehealth Practice Recommendations for Diabetic Retinopathy
Published February 2011
Recommendations for designing, implementing, and sustaining an ocular telehealth care program.  It specifically addresses current clinical, technical, and administrative issues that form the basis for evaluating Diabetic Retinopathy with telehealth services and technologies.

Details | Download
A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines
A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines
Published October 2010
The key administrative, clinical, technical, and ethical principles that should be considered in the course of providing telerehabilitation services. They are based primarily on the American Telemedicine Association’s Core Standards for Telemedicine Operations, and describe additional considerations that are present across applications within telerehabilitation and its related fields.

Details | Download
Practice Guidelines for Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health
Practice Guidelines for Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health
Published October 2009
Guidelines to assist in the development and practice of coherent, effective, safe and sustainable telemental health practices. The guidelines focus telemental health serviced delivered through two-way, interactive (synchronous) videoconferencing. 

Details | Download
Practice Guidelines for Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health (October 2009)
Evidence-Based Practice for Telemental Health
Published July 2009
The document is a companion piece to ATA’s Practice Guidelines for Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health, with reference and support for decision-making in developing and providing telemental health services. 

Details | Download
Core Standards for Telemedicine Operations (February 2008)
Core Standards for Telemedicine Operations
Published February 2008
Fundamental requirements to be followed in providing remote medical services, interactive patient encounters and any other electronic communications between patients and practitioners for the purposes of health care delivery.  Administrative, clinical and technical aspects are addressed.

Details | Download
Practice Guidelines for Teledermatology (December 2007)
Practice Guidelines for Teledermatology
Published December 2007
These guidelines are designed to aid in the development and practice of coherent, effective, safe and sustainable teledermatology practices. The document is a consensus operational best practice reference,
based on clinical empirical experience, as well as an educational tool to aid practitioners in providing
appropriate telehealth care for patients.

Details | Download

Home Telehealth Clinical Guidelines (2003)
Home Telehealth Clinical Guidelines
Published 2003
These guidelines encompass the diverse applications for home telehealth technology and establish a set of universal principles guiding the development and deployment of home telehealth in the future.

Details | Download
Clinical Guidelines for Telepathology (May 1999)
Clinical Guidelines for Telepathology
Published May 1999
Clinical guidelines for telepathology, generally applicable to all three types of telepathology: static (store and forward), dynamic (synchronous), and hybrid (static-dynamic) implementations.

Details | Download

Standards and Guidelines in Development

The following documents are currently in development by ATA, with estimated completion dates in the next 1-2 years. 

If you are interested in participating in the development of these standards, please contact Jordana Bernard, ATA's Senior Director of Program Management at jbernard@americantelemed.org or 202-223-3333. 
  • Wounds & Burns
  • Remote Healthcare Data Management
  • Remote Prescribing
  • Internet-Based Telemental Health
  • TeleICU
  • Telepathology
  • Urgent/Primary Care