Informed Consent and Telemedicine

All physicians need to be aware of informed consent, whether they are practicing in a traditional, in-person environment, or they are utilizing telemedicine. With both unique advantages and challenges in using telemedicine, it is important for physicians to understand the implications for informed consent. In Part IV of our series, Physician Focus: Telemedicine, Healthcare Matters discusses this important issue with award-winning telemedicine-proponent Jonathan Terry, DO, ABIHM. Dr. Terry is an osteopathic physician and surgeon and psychiatrist who uses telemedicine extensively in his practice.

According to Dr. Terry, informed consent for telemedicine should be treated in a similar fashion as for any other medical procedure. However, there are issues unique to telemedicine that should be covered, so it is a good practice for physicians to use a separate consent form specifically for telemedicine. This form can outline the risks and benefits of using it, as well as allowing patients to opt out of telemedicine. To learn more about how informed consent works in telemedicine, watch Part IV of our video series below. To see the entire interview, click here.