Several different areas within Information Technology have partnered together with the HIPAA Task Force to document and implement tools to facilitate the use of telemedicine.  This provides the College of Health (CoH) and Counseling Center the ability to continue to serve and care for patients remotely during this pandemic.  IT Security and Unified Communications helped develop the BSU guidance documentation for entities planning on doing telehealth services.  This was distributed to the BSU HIPAA task force members, and is posted on the Ball State website.

IT Security has since provided the CoH Information Technology team specific guidance on completing work station security checks on any clinicians that will/are providing telehealth services.  This process is being completed for around 100 individuals this summer alone.

IT Security and Unified Communications have also spent significant time on virtual calls related to CoH telehealth with the Director of Interdisciplinary Clinical Operations, CoH IT, software vendor representatives, Risk Management and Insurance, and the Office of General Counsel to work out every detail including establishing the Business Associates Agreement (BAA) with WebEx.  The group is currently working together to review BAAs with other vendors that would supply telehealth support to the CoH.

Lastly, the CoH is currently in the implementation period for a new electronic health records system.  Many areas within IT have helped with the integration and provided guidance in asking the right questions in order to prepare to integrate telehealth within the CoH electronic health record system in the future.

For more information about telehealth services, please visit Counseling Practicum Clinic website.