During the COVID-19 national emergency, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has authorized health care providers to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies. Some of the technologies may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules.
Health care providers may use applications that allow for video chats, including Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, or Skype, to provide telehealth. Please be aware that these third-party applications potentially introduce privacy risks.
We are happy to announce that telehealth services are available at our office starting Monday, March 23, 2020. Please call the office at (410) 768-4700 for further details if you prefer to have your next office visit to be a telehealth visit. Most health insurance plans are covering the cost of such telehealth visits. You may also verify telehealth visit coverage by calling your health insurance plan.
Thank you and stay safe!
Mahesh Ochaney, M.D.
