Telehealth in Oregon

Each State and payer defines telemedicine and telehealth differently. Oregon defines:  

• Telemedicine means the provision of health services to patients by physicians and health care practitioners from a distance using electronic communications.
• Telehealth means a variety of methods, through the use of electronic and telecommunications technologies, for the distance delivery of health care services, including dental care services, and clinical information designed to improve a patient’s health status and to enhance delivery of the health care services and clinical information.

Telehealth Licensure in Oregon ORS 677.153

• Telehealth providers may practice using telemedicine technology in Oregon, if they have an active, unlimited Oregon license in good standing and comply with accepted standards of care.
• Out-of-state physicians who want to practice telemedicine in Oregon must apply for a license for practice of medicine across state lines.

Telehealth Credentialing in Oregon OAR 409-045-0025

• Telehealth providers need to be licensed in Oregon and credentialed at your hospital.
• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare (JCAHO) rules delegating credentialing allow originating site hospitals to rely on the credentialing and privileging decisions of the distant facility where the provider is physically located.
• The originating facility is responsible for providing internal review information of the provider’s performance of telemedical privileges to the distant site.

Telehealth Reimbursement in Oregon by Payor

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Organizational Capacity Assessment to Implement Telehealth

The Telehealth Alliance of Oregon recommends the Telehealth Capacity Assessment Tool (TCAT).

Organizations with Telehealth Information, Toolkits, and Education Opportunities

• American Telemedicine Association
• National Telehealth Resource Center (NTRC)
• Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC)
• Telehealth Alliance of Oregon (TAO)

Critical Access Hospital Telehealth Services in Oregon

This story map shows the originating and distant Telehealth sites for Oregon’s 25 Critical Access Hospitals. Detail is provided for each hospital.

Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes)

Project ECHO is tele-mentoring education for providers on complex conditions, such as: Hepatitis C, Diabetes, Pain management and Addictions. Through video-conferencing, providers receive didactic training and advice on their complex cases from a team of Specialists (a Hub). Participating providers receive no cost CMEs and Nursing CEUs.

Find a Tele-ECHO clinic near you in the United States.

The Oregon ECHO Network is a statewide utility that supports the delivery of ECHO programming and services. Please see this link for available program opportunities. All programs are offered for no cost to the participant or facility and offer no cost CME.

For more information on how your facility can participate, please contact Maggie McDonnell | mclainma@ohsu.edu.

Questions?

Contact: Rose Locklear | locklear@ohsu.edu | | 503-494-4450