Patient consent

[Djadia, BSN]

We have recently on boarded telehealth docs as our only providers in our critical access hospital.  I'm looking for advice as to the legality of patients being made aware that "teledocs" will be following them BEFORE they are admitted? We recently had patients who were NOT informed & were very angry because they would have transferred to another facility.  Our DON said that "there is no law stating that patients need to be made aware of them only being seen by teledocs" . I DISAGREE.  What are your thoughts?

[chare]

I suspect that your hospital's legal or risk management has already reviewd this and determined it is legal. 

A Google search identified The American Medical Association's 50-state survey: Establishment of a patient-physician relationship via telemedicine, in 2018.  Granted it is dated, but as it does list each state's applicable statutes it might provide a good starting point.

And, if you haven't already done so, you might contacting your state's department of health, or whichever agency provides oversight to hospitals.

Best wishes.