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Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Telehealth Program
Part of putting patients at the center of everything we do is ensuring patients can quickly access high-quality care – particularly specialty care – wherever they happen to be.
Virtual health is central to increasing timely access to care, which is why the MHS has Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy. This fast, efficient process that enables providers to file one application and get permission to virtually treat patients anywhere in the Military Health System.
Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy plays a crucial role in meeting one of the MHS's biggest clinical needs: expanding access to limited specialty-care resources across the enterprise, especially to small, remote locations.
The single, centralized process has also made it up to 30 times faster for providers to get permission to deliver care virtually at military hospitals and clinics. It only takes three to five days, down from 90 days or more.
The MHS's Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy is a force multiplier that saves time, improves processes, and removes barriers to care for those we serve.
By facilitating virtual health across state and federal jurisdictions, the process is an invaluable tool to increase military readiness, improve access, improve outcomes, and lower costs.
Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy offers providers opportunities to improve all care, both virtual and in person. The process enables providers to deliver virtual care when appropriate and focus more effectively on patients that need in-person treatment.
It also enables providers to share their expertise outside their home facilities to help patients around the world.
Easing the Burden
The MHS Virtual Medical Center coordinates Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy as part of helping execute virtual health care across the MHS.
The process decreases administrative burdens on military hospitals and clinics by handling two key tasks:
- It confirms provider's credentials and privileges at their primary facilities.
- It then facilitates providers getting the same privileges for virtual care at other facilities, enabling quick access to patients at different locations as needed.
COVID-19 Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the MHS to rapidly expand the reach and capabilities of its virtual health offerings to ensure continuity of care while keeping providers and patients safe.
Now that virtual health has become a permanent, growing part of MHS care delivery, many providers – and their patients – want to continue using virtual care.
Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy plays an essential role in meeting that demand. By expediting review and approval of providers to work virtually at other sites, the process enables providers and facilities to focus on delivering care more effectively – whether that care is in-person or virtual.
Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy will continue to help ensure service members, retirees, and their families get the care they deserve.