The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have released a much-anticipated final rule intended to ease the burden of cumbersome credentialing and privileging requirements for the use of telemedicine providers. This final rule revises the existing Conditions of Participation (CoP) for hospitals and critical access hospitals.

Currently, under the CoPs, organizations must, for each physician or healthcare provider providing services for the organization through a telemedicine link, conduct a full credentialing and privileging process.

According to an official statement from CMS, “this final rule will remove undue hardship and financial burden” to healthcare organizations using telemedicine services.

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