Guidance: FSMB Model Policy for Telemedicine; Morcellation; More

​The Federation of State Medical Boards' (FSMB) model policy for telemedicine restricts telemedicine to encounters that apply secure videoconferencing or store-and-forward technology (i.e., clinical information is acquired and stored at one site and forwarded to another for evaluation) to replicate a traditional encounter between a provider and patient. "Generally, telemedicine is not an audio-only, telephone conversation, e-mail/instant messaging conversation, or fax," states the model policy, which was adopted by FSMB's House of Delegates in late April. The model policy is intended for use by state medical boards in regulating the use of telemedicine technology in the practice of medicine. It can be used to address such concerns as determining when the physician/patient relationship is established, assuring privacy of patient data, addressing proper evaluation and treatment of the patient, and prescribing of medications, the preamble to the policy states.