By Beth Foster, RN, BA, CPHQ, CEHCH
CMS allows telehealth encounters for home health face-to-face encounters. These encounters must meet two-way audio and visual component requirements.
When conducting telehealth encounters, it must be evident that both the audio and video portions were conducted. The practitioner can state what he or she observed, thus showing that through the use of video, the patient was visually examined. It must be apparent that there was real-time interactive communication between the patient and the physician or practitioner through the use of audio and video equipment.
Telehealth face-to-face encounters that are documented as telephone only, audio only, did not examine the patient, etc., will result in a non-affirmation.
References
Reminder: No matter the RCD option (PCR, Post-Payment Review, etc) HHAs need to review all of the F2F Encounter telehealth documentation that occurred on or after March 1, 2020. Depending on the documentation and the time period for the encounter you may need to discharge, and then readmit with the correct telehealth F2F encounter that meets the two-way audio and visual component requirements.
