The national Emergency Declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic came suddenly and without warning. Healthcare providers found it necessary to acquire, implement, and begin using telehealth technology in a matter of weeks. Workflows that typically take years to develop were thrown together without time to properly perform due diligence on telehealth products or develop processes for appropriate use.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in an effort to support telehealth use during the Emergency, announced a “relaxation of HIPAA enforcement” entitled the Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications During the COVID-19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency.