Telehealth quality check: Is it time for national standards?

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Telehealth has seen rapid but unregulated growth in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitated by the interim establishment of a universal Medicare Benefits Schedule item for telehealth consultations. Consumers and healthcare providers, including many general practitioners, have turned to telehealth with enthusiasm. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to present evidence and analysis supporting the adoption of national telehealth standards in Australia. DISCUSSION: Despite efforts by professional organisations to develop telehealth standards, Australia lacks a national telehealth strategy and a unified set of shared standards for clinical governance and quality assurance that can be applied across the health system. To ensure consumer safety and support healthcare providers in telehealth, a national regulatory framework and telehealth standards should be established on the basis of the latest evidence on safety and quality in all forms of telehealth.