Telehealth Inclusion

Originally approved January 2021

Emergency medicine telehealth is defined as “the process of remotely caring for patients with acute illness, injury, and exacerbations of chronic diseases, including the initial evaluation diagnosis, treatment, prevention, coordination of care, disposition, and public health impact of any patient requiring expeditious care irrespective of a prior relationship.”¹ The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) policy statement “Definition of Emergency Medicine” states “Emergency medicine is not defined by location but may be practiced in a variety of settings including hospital-based and freestanding emergency departments (EDs), urgent care clinics, observation medicine units, emergency medical response vehicles, at disaster sites, or via telehealth.”²

All existing ACEP policy statements, where applicable, are also pertinent to the practice of emergency medicine delivered via telehealth.

1. American College of Emergency Physicians. Emergency Medicine Telehealth(policy statement). Revised February 2020. Originally approved January 2016.
2. American College of Emergency Physicians. Definition of Emergency Medicine. (policy statement). Revised January 2021, June 2015, April 2008, April 2001. Reaffirmed October 1998. Revised April 1994 with current title. Replaces the original policy statement  adopted March 1986 titled "Definition of Emergency Medicine and the Emergency Physician".