Third, keep it updated and keep an eye on any changes to the terms of service. Whenever sensitive information exchanges hands between a health service provider and patient, it has to be done within a set of rules and ethics.
And that’s no different online.
Telehealth providers have a series of rules and ethics they’re expected to follow.
If you’re unsure what those rules might be, you’re in the right place.
Let’s take a look at your guide to the rules and ethics for online therapists:
Before You Start
It’s critical to understand the rules and ethics for online therapists long before you start providing your own mental health services online.
When you know what to expect in advance, you can build your services fully knowing everything you need to know to stay informed, professional, and safe.
While some laws and regulations are enforced all over, some states have their own rules, laws, and policies you need to know.
Take the time to research what unique or local laws are waiting for you before you start and you’ll be grateful later on.
And check for changes often.
Some of these laws can change quickly, hanging you out to dry if you’re not readily informed.
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Ethical Codes
There have been a few professional associations that have created their own guideline for providing telehealth.
If you’re working for a telehealth platform like this one, there may be a specific set to follow.
In general, it’s a good idea to check them out to get an idea of what to expect.
Here are the guidelines for the American Psychological Association.
Here are the guidelines for the National Board for Certified Counselors.
When Using an App
Apps are great for telehealth providers, but they come with certain possible pitfalls.
First, you need to ensure that the app’s policy matches and works with your state’s policies.
Second, make sure any and all apps you’re using are entirely safe with your client’s data and personal information.
Social Media
Your social media profiles have a very long and enduring reach. Unfortunately, that reach can become a potential threat when you’re a telehealth provider.
Even your search history can be weaponized against you by specific phishing scams and hackers.
Being intentional about your online actions and the information you post is an easy but vital step.
Passwords, Password Managers, and Authentications
Strong, frequently updated passwords with second-party authentication reduce your risk of being a victim of a cyber attack.
Guidelines around passwords, password managers, and authenticators are seriously enforced but are also the best place to start learning what you can do
Informed Consent
Informed consent is the communication between patient and provider that usually leads to the patient agreeing to receive treatment or care.
Informed consent comes from the moral and legal concept that patients have complete autonomy, and no one else can make decisions for or against them.
There are three (or more, depending on how you chop it up) main principles to informed consent. Here they are and what they do:
- Decision Capacity – to assess if the patient can understand the options available, the consequences of choosing each option, and the ability to decide based on values and priorities.
- Documentation of Consent – to record all conversations that result in a medical record must be documented.
- Report – to provide sufficient information to the patient so they may make an informed decision.
Duty to Warn
Duty to warn is when a therapist believes a patient is a danger to themselves or others and can contact someone with the intention of helping the patient.
Only the necessary information may be divulged and only to someone capable of reducing the threat.
Usually, that’s either law enforcement or a person specifically targeted by the patient.
It’s rare for an online provider to have enough information to perform this legal duty, but it’s still worth mentioning.
The rules of online therapy are your guide to an ethical and safe practice. All it takes is a little research and digging to find the information you need, and hopefully, this post helped you along your way.
