Over the next five to ten years, President Obama's landmark Health Care Reform legislation (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA]) will be systematically implemented. Psychology should appreciate that the law is fundamentally patient-oriented and not provider-centric. The States and Administration have considerable flexibility to address overarching national objectives. Increasing access to quality primary health care and making scientifically-based clinical decisions are central to its vision. The 21stcentury will be an era of educated consumers, interdisciplinary and integrated health service delivery systems, and an unprecedented utilization of communications technology (e.g., telehealth and electronic health records).
Telehealth – Service Delivery Of The Future: The HHS Budget notes that the Office of Telehealth is an integral component of its Improve Rural Healthcare Initiative, with the goal of expanding the use of telecommunications technologies to increase access to, and the quality of, healthcare provided to rural populations. A major goal is to strengthen partnerships among rural health care providers, recruit and retain rural health care professionals, and modernize the health care infrastructure in rural (and urban) areas. These technologies are not viewed as products or ends in themselves, but as the means to provide services at a distance and to overcome geographic, economic, and other social barriers to obtaining health care. A related objective is to increase the number of states adopting a common licensure application and participating in mutual recognition of each other's licenses. Evaluation activities will focus upon telehealth's economic impact, particularly on the implications for coverage by government and third party payers which are critical for its viability.
The APA Council of Representatives recently established a ten person Task Force on the Development of Telepsychology Guidelines, co-chaired by Linda Campbelland Fred Millan (ASPPB), in conjunction with the APA Insurance Trust. The goal is to provide direction to psychologists as they navigate the numerous ethical, regulatory, legal, and practice issues in their increasing utilization of this exciting technology for the delivery of psychological care. Nevada is the home of the U.S. Senate Majority Leader. His colleague, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has introduced legislation (S. 539), the Behavioral Health Information Technology Act, which would extend eligibility for psychologists and other behavioral health care providers to obtain federal assistance in moving into the rapidly evolving technological era. APA'sMarilyn Richmond would appreciate your active support of this legislation. "I'm leaving on a jet plane. I don't know when I'll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go." Aloha,
Pat DeLeon, former APA President – Nevada Psychological Association – April, 2011
