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Arizona PT Telehealth

Physical Therapy is included in the new telehealth law.

Can PTs practice through telehealth?

Yes, temporarily.  

"Beginning on March 25, 2020 and continuing for the duration of the Public Health Emergency declared on March 11, 2020, in order to protect public health, expedite access to and treatment of health conditions, and to slow the spread if COVID-19 within healthcare facilities, all health insurance plans regulated by the Arizona Department of Insurance are hereby required to provide coverage for all healthcare services that are provided through telemedicine if the healthcare service would be covered were it provided through an in-person visit between the enrollee and a healthcare provider."

"Insurers must reimburse healthcare providers at the same level of payment for a telemedicine visit as they would for an in-person visit."

"Insurers must allow all electronic means of delivering telehealth, including telephone and video calls."

Below is Arizona's general telehealth rule, it does not specifically apply to physical therapy but can give guidance.

Definitions

"Telemedicine" means the practice of health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation and treatment and the transfer of medical data through interactive audio, video or data communications that occur in the physical presence of the patient, including audio or video communications sent to a health care provider for diagnostic or treatment consultation.

Informed consent

Before a health care provider delivers health care through telemedicine, the treating health care provider shall obtain verbal or written informed consent from the patient or the patient's health care decision maker.  If the informed consent is obtained verbally, the health care provider shall document the consent on the patient's medical record.

The consent requirements do not apply:

  • If the telemedicine interaction does not take place in the physical presence of the patient.
  • In an emergency situation in which the patient or the patient's health care decision maker is unable to give informed consent.
  • To the transmission of diagnostic images to a health care provider serving as a consultant or the reporting of diagnostic test results by that consultant.

Confidentiality requirements

The patient is entitled to all existing confidentiality protections.

All medical reports resulting from a telemedicine consultation are part of a patient's medical record.

Dissemination of any images or information identifiable to a specific patient for research or educational purposes shall not occur without the patient's consent, unless authorized by state or federal law.

Reference

A.R.S. § 36-3601

A.R.S. § 36-3602

https://ptboard.az.gov/

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