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The mission of the Section on Telehealth Care (SOTC) is to improve the provision of in-person and remote care through the use of telehealth technology in a medical home. To accomplish this mission, SOTC will develop guidance and education on telehealth care and advocate for those who receive and provide it.

Telehealth care is integrated into the menu of services provided through the medical home and is valued by pediatricians, patients and families, and payers and paid at an appropriate rate.

Pediatricians are compensated appropriately based on the services they provide. These services may be provided in-person or remotely using appropriate telehealth technology, depending on the needs of the patient, without affecting payment.

We believe:

• All children deserve access to high quality health care.
• Telehealth care plays a central role in increasing access to primary and subspecialty care for those in rural or underserved populations.
• Care provided in non-face-to-face settings can be of the same quality as the care provided in person.
• Telephone care, telemedicine, e-mail communication, and other forms of non-face-to-face care provide valuable adjuncts to in-person care and should be paid according to that value.
• Telemedicine provide care equal to in-person care and should be paid exactly as if the patient and doctor were in the same room.
• Telehealth enhances the Medical Home by providing children with access to their own doctor, regardless of where the child is located.
  
  

Goal 1: Provide guidance and champion the use of telehealth care in the Medical Home.

Objective 1.1: Develop and disseminate “Key principles for telehealth care in pediatric practice.”
Objective 1.2: Develop and disseminate guidance on pediatric clinical encounters using telehealth care.
Objective 1.3: Develop and disseminate guidance for use of alternative data (video and other) coming in to a call center or other clinical settings.
Objective 1.4: Tailor and distribute resident curriculum on telehealth care.
Objective 1.5: Develop quality metrics for telehealth care in partnership with SCOQIM and other leaders in AAP’s quality activities.
Objective 1.6: Serve as a repository for pediatric telehealth clinical initiatives.

Goal 2: Inform and lead AAP telehealth care advocacy efforts.

Objective 2.1: Draft a policy statement against non-medical home use of telehealth care in partnership with the Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine and other Sections.
Objective 2.2: Develop and disseminate at least 2 resources to facilitate advocacy for cross-state licensing.
Objective 2.3: Develop and disseminate a white paper on the role of telehealth care in increasing access to care and link it to the Access pillar of the AAP Agenda for Children.
Objective 2.4: Convene a meeting of key AAP stakeholders to facilitate discussion around the use of telemedicine in providing care in a medical home.
Objective 2.5: Create educational materials to be used by the Private Payer Advocacy and Advisory Committee and Chapter Councils when meeting with payers.
Objective 2.6: Track and disseminate research on the cost-effectiveness, improved clinical outcomes, and improved access to care of telehealth care, including but not limited to, emergency department, School Health, ICU, and specialists utilization.

Goal 3: Increase payment for telehealth care services.

Objective 3.1: Develop and disseminate a resource to describe use of physician to physician telephone codes including the need for appropriate payment for the consultation.
Objective 3.2: Develop and disseminate resources/talking points on telehealth care to Pediatric Councils.
Objective 3.3: Design and conduct at least 3 efforts/campaigns to increase awareness of payment for telehealth care in AAP.
Objective 3.4: Advocate for payment for non-face-to-face care on par with in-person care.

Goal 4: Strengthen SOTC section infrastructure.

Objective 4.1: Increase Section membership by 20% in 3 years.
Objective 4.2: Increase the number of Section members involved in developing and disseminating policy, telehealth care resources, and advocacy tools by 10% in 3 years.
Objective 4.3: Establish and facilitate 3 user groups around telehealth care delivery methods.
Objective 4.4: Review executive committee positions and expertise needed to cover diverse telehealth care methods of delivery.

Fellows interested in learning more about the Section are invited to attend its educational sessions and annual business meeting at the National Conference & Exhibition.

SOTC membership is open to all Fellows of the Academy with an interest or expertise in telehealth care. For further details, or if you are a Section on Telehealth Care member interested in getting more involved in Section activities, please send an e-mail message to SOTC@aap.org.

SOTC Members Only

Click here for resources available only to members of the Section on Telehealth Care, including:

• Webinar handouts;
• Newsletter issues;
• Telephone Lines issues.