Telehealth for PT, OT and SLP services in SNFs Update June 2020

Join Mark McDavid from Seagrove Rehab Partners and Sabrena McCarley with RehabCare as they describe considerations for telehealth use in SNFs to improve patient access to care, collaboration and clinical practice during this pandemic.  Click here for their VLOG. 

How can telehealth be used in SNFs?  During a recent CMS "Office Hours" they communicated that their interim final rule as well as their FAQ for SNF providers did not say no.  Victory! Therapists are telehealth qualified providers using telehealth - which means greater access to patients which is especially helpful in SNFs to get the evaluations and treatment done.  COVID-19 has significantly challenged that service given therapists have been limited to a single SNF site.  Telehealth allows a therapist who cannot go into another facility to collaborate and communicate with other therapists or assistants on patient treatment plans.  It is also helpful for supervisory visits.  We encourage you to check with practice acts first.     Telehealth allows the opportunity to meet the clinical needs of the patients by eliminating pending therapy orders for a lengthy time.  Patients are kept at the highest level of function with no gap in care.   It also allows therapists to work collaboratively with facility in wake of need for 14 day quarantines by balancing quarantines with telehealth methodology.