Staff Reports
Thirteen people have been named to the state’s new Telehealth Advisory Council, according to a Wednesday joint news release from the Agency for Healthcare Administration and Department of Health.
The members are:
— Elizabeth Miller, CRNP of Tampa (Chief Operations Officer of WellCare Health Plans)
— Dr. Ernest Bertha of Sunrise (Medical Director of Sunshine Health)
— William Manzie of Hollywood (Administrative Director of Telehealth Strategy for Memorial Healthcare)
— Matthew Stanton of Cleveland, Ohio (Senior Director of Distance Health for the Cleveland Clinic)
— Dr. Steven Selznick of Longwood (CEO/President for Selznick Consulting, a CFP Physicians Group)
— Darren Hay of Miami Beach (Senior Vice President of Ideal Life)
— Monica Stynchula of St. Petersburg (CEO of REUNIONCare and acting state president of AARP)
— Leslee Gross of Coral Gables (Assistant Vice President of Operations for Baptist Health South Florida)
— Dr. Kevin O’Neil of Sarasota (Chief Medical Officer of Brooksdale Senior Living, Inc.)
— Dr. Kim Landry of Gulf Breeze (EMS Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer for Leon County EMS and Lifeguard Ambulance Service, Inc.)
— Dr. Sarvam Terkonda of Jacksonville (Site Medical Director for Connected Care in Florida for Mayo Clinic)
— Dr. Anne Burdick of Miami Beach (Professor of Dermatology, Leprosy Program Director and Associate Dean for Telehealth and Community Outreach for the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine)
— Mike Smith of Tallahassee (Telemedicine Program Development Director for Florida State University, College of Medicine)
“The Council will fulfill the responsibilities outlined in HB 7087, which was signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott on April 14,” according to the release.
The legislation was originally aimed at allowing doctors to treat patients virtually, rather than in person. Other, similar legislation stalled in recent sessions.
The panel will look at “types of telehealth services that are available in Florida, who uses them, and how they are covered by health plans,” it said.
“The members will then make recommendations about how to increase access to telehealth services for Floridians in a final report to the governor, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives by Oct. 31, 2017.”
The goal of proponents is to increase treatment options to Floridians in rural areas and those unable to get to a doctor’s office.
Telehealth has been endorsed by the American Medical Association. California, New York and Texas have passed laws allowing and regulating such practices in those states.
Critics, though, have said they’re concerned about allowing doctors to treat patients, including the prescribing of medication, that they can’t see up close and in person.
Just as importantly, issues of payment remain unresolved, such as whether a doctor who treats someone “virtually” should be reimbursed by insurance at the same rate as one who treats a patient in her or his office.
