UC San Diego Health among first in nation to receive CHQI telemedicine accreditation
UC San Diego Health announced it has earned ClearHealth Quality Institute (CHQI) accreditation for telemedicine. CHQI is an independent healthcare accrediting body that offers the only telemedicine or telehealth accreditation program in the nation, backed by the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).
By achieving this status, UC San Diego Health demonstrates to consumers, the medical community, regulators and other stakeholders that its telemedicine policies, programs and processes meet the clinical, legal, technological, and administrative standards set by CHQI to advance safety and quality.
The telemedicine service at UC San Diego is utilized by doctors and patients in both ambulatory and emergency room settings, said Larry Friedman, MD, associate dean of clinical affairs, UC San Diego Health. The service offers expert telehealth consults in more than 25 subspecialties, including telestroke, teleneurology, telecritical care, and telemental health, including second opinion services. More than eight hospitals in California utilize UC San Diego Health’s telemedicine services. “We created telemedicine at UC San Diego Health to provide healthcare to patients anywhere in the world,” said Friedman. “Our motto is ‘UCSD Everywhere.’”
CHQI telemedicine accreditation covers three different modules: Consumer-to-provider (such as physician or nurse triage services); provider-to-consumer (such as an ongoing provider/patient relationship including mental health counseling); and provider-to-provider (such as specialty consults, including teleradiology). Accredited entities can be accredited for multiple specific service lines.
