Tracking changing telehealth regulations
Hungary and Brazil are two of the biggest countries to relax or clarify regulations in response to the coronavirus. This week HBI tracks where it has been allowed, its remit expanded and reimbursement procedures refined.
Brazil is probably the biggest beneficiary here, with its medical council finally officially permitting the practice following at least a year of coming-and-going. In reality, individual doctors and large hospitals already use solutions of varying sophistication. The recent orders (n. 13/989 and n. 467) only offer a temporary reprise but providers are hopeful it will be extended.
The move is more permanent in Hungary with Order No. 157/2020 iv.29 providing a framework for healthcare to be delivered without the presence of the patient. Two of the factors largely regarded as crucial to making telehealth work are included: remote diagnosis and prescription. The law also sets out that suitable usage includes triage, chronic disease management and medical history data gathering.
Lithuania too has adopted new regulations at a local level to help implement remote consultations and a framework for general doctors to refer patients to specialists through online consultations.
Elsewhere, regulation changes have increased the allowed remit of remote consultations so that outpatient doctors in Poland can deliver the service for existing patients, but not new ones. Germany has also expanded the remit and reimbursement as well as temporarily reduced the cap on video consultation reimbursement.
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