Increasingly, patients are turning to Telehealth to access the medical care they need. This technology-based service allows patients to communicate with providers remotely, eliminating the need for in-office appointments. While this option has numerous benefits, you might wonder how this shift in healthcare is affecting record retrieval for legal cases.
With this blog, the knowledgeable team at National Record Retrieval outlines the answers you are looking for. Keep reading to learn more about the ways telehealth is shaping our industry.
Virtual doctor visits are on the rise and for good reasons. They are convenient for both the provider and the patient, while overcoming obstacles such as transportation issues. However, it also adds a layer of complexity to the medical record retrieval process.
“The emergence of telehealth services has significantly increased patients’ access to all types of healthcare. Patients can now connect with providers far beyond their geographical area, making it essential to note which telehealth service provider was used. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar practices, locating a telehealth practitioner by name and city alone can often be difficult. Telehealth companies such as Hims & Hers Health, Inc. and Teladoc Health, Inc. have become major prescribers of medications involved in active torts and are frequently called upon to provide the necessary records. Our National Record Retrieval team seamlessly handles requests from telehealth providers, relieving your staff of the burden of tracking down documentation and ensuring your casework is fully supported.”
– Toby Pearson, Chief Operating Officer, National Record Retrieval
Unless your administrative team is skilled at tracking down fragmented data sources, often located across state lines, gathering these evidentiary documents can be a time-consuming process with numerous opportunities for error. These records are likely not consolidated in a single system and may come from multiple sources, including provider vendors and remote patient monitoring devices. Partnering with a dedicated record retrieval company that also offers record review services ensures that even scattered telehealth records are identified, organized, and carefully analyzed for accuracy.
Using various communication devices can lead to an increased risk of security issues, including data breaches and the unintentional disclosure of a patient’s protected healthcare information. Your personal injury law firm must be careful to hire the right record retrieval company that works cautiously to ensure all requests protect your client’s rights and are HIPAA compliant. The last thing your team of attorneys wants to deal with in court is authenticity or data integrity challenges.
Unlike a traditional, in-person visit with a healthcare provider, the medical records from a telehealth appointment could be incomplete or missing the essential details you need to support your client’s claim. Technology is always advancing. However, it does have limitations, including lagging video and poor quality audio, that can make interpreting the basis of the visit difficult to discern. These inadequacies may become particularly problematic in personal injury cases involving missed or delayed diagnoses.
Every day, a growing number of healthcare providers jump on the telehealth bandwagon, offering remote services and virtual visits. However, this advancement may hinder your legal cases in ways we may not fully understand, as the technology behind these programs continues to grow and evolve.
Reach out to the industry leaders at National Record Retrieval with your questions about telehealth and its potential effects on your legal cases.
