Tele-Med Regulation Overview Quiz

Tele-Med Regulation

• Purpose: Regulate procedures and principles for remote health services, permit granting, facility development and registration of remote health information systems, and health facility inspection. Goal is to enable independent health service delivery regardless of location, using modern medical technology.

Article 1

• Scope: Covers procedures and principles related to the scope of remote health services, permits for facilities offering such services, development and registration of related information systems, and inspections of these facilities.

Article 2

• Coverage: Includes all health facilities providing remote health services, all involved healthcare professionals, remote health information system developers, and patients accessing remote services.

Article 4

• Remote Health Information System: Secure software enabling written, audio, or video communication, registered by the Ministry.
• Remote Health Service: Healthcare professionals providing services via remote health information systems in facilities with operating permits.

Article 7

• Remotely Deliverable Services: Certain healthcare services can be provided remotely, subject to suitability and nature of the service: examination, medical records evaluation, observation, monitoring, disease diagnosis, consultation, second opinions, treatment and medication, remote health management and monitoring of diseases (e.g., blood sugar, blood pressure), and aspects of healthy living and psychosocial support. Advanced age or increased health risk population can also be accommodated.
• Additional Services (Article 7, Continued): Interventional and surgical procedures, necessary medical treatments during outbreaks, health data measurement and monitoring using wearable technologies, e-prescriptions, and e-reports.

Article 9

• Patient Information: Clear and accurate disclosure of healthcare provider identity and specialization, the non-physical presence of the provider, differences from traditional face-to-face care, no disruption of current treatment, direction to the nearest emergency room in urgent situations.
• Service Details: Fee information, clarity on health insurance coverage, explicit consent requirements for audio/video recording, stipulations regarding remote health service, and provisions for starting and continuing services, termination rights, responsibility for information system security, and the nature and results of the provided service.

Article 12

• Data Protection: Healthcare facilities and providing professionals are responsible for safeguarding patient privacy and personal data during remote healthcare service provision.

Article 14

• Prohibitions and Restrictions: Health facilities requiring permission from the Ministry to offer remote health services. Restrictions also exist if services are outside of permitted regions. Specified types of services, those not aligned with the regulation, and those requiring work permits are also restricted. Restrictions also exist in terms of medical devices use, service delivery restrictions for non-Turkish healthcare professionals. Remote services cannot be used to force a patient into an appointment. The provisions surrounding personal data, specifically in relation to data processing and transfers, are also limited.