Skip to main content
. 2018 Dec 11;10(2):3–54. doi: 10.5195/ijt.2018.6269
Virginia
Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy
Telehealth/Telemedicine/Telecommunications Definition
No reference found. Telehealth is the use of electronic technology or media including interactive audio or video to engage in the practice of physical therapy. Telehealth does not include an audio-only telephone, electronic mail message, facsimile transmission, or online questionnaire.
Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)
Modality
No reference found. Telehealth includes the use of live video. It does not include audio-only telephone, electronic mail message, facsimile transmission, or online questionnaire.
Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)
Location- Type of site/Geography
No reference found. No reference found.
Type of Service
No reference found. Telehealth may be used to provide physical therapy services.
Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)
Supervision
No reference found. No reference found.
Informed Consent
No reference found. Documented consent is required prior to the delivery of telehealth services. Clients should be made aware of limitations surrounding telehealth services.
The documentation of consent should include:
  • Identification of the client, practitioner, and practitioner’s credentials;

  • Types of activities permitted using telehealth services;

  • Details on security measures taken and potential risks to privacy notwithstanding such measures;

  • A hold harmless clause for information lost due to technical failures; and

  • Requirements for express client consent to forwards client-identifiable information to a third party

Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)
Patient-Provider-Relationship/In-Person Exam Required
No reference found. A physical therapist-client relationship can be established in the absence of actual physical contact between the physical therapist and client. Just as in a traditional (in-person) encounter, once the relationship is established, the therapist has an obligation to adhere to the reasonable standards of care for the client (duty of care).
Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)
License
No reference found. Physical therapist must be licensed in the state where the patient is located and where the therapist is located when providing telehealth services.
Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)
Other
No reference found. Physical therapists are responsible for determining if telehealth use is appropriate for the situation.
The identities of both the client and the practitioner should be verified with photo IDs.
The documentation of telehealth sessions should:
  • Be at least up to standards on in-person care, and additionally include specifications of telehealth technology used.

  • Include written policies and procedures for documentation and confidentiality of identifiable client health information and records of encounters using telehealth.

  • Include procedures to address technical, medical, or clinical emergencies at the remote destination need to be in place.

Source:Board of Physical Therapy Guidance on Telehealth (2015)