Telehealth Best Practices in 2025: Guide for Nurse Practitioners
In 2025, telehealth remains a pivotal aspect of healthcare delivery. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly adopting telehealth to provide efficient and effective care.
The accessibility of telehealth has revolutionized healthcare delivery, breaking down geographical barriers and offering patients a new level of ease in accessing medical services. To be successful in telehealth, it's important for NPs to stay up to date with the latest best practices, regulations, and compliance protocols.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best practices for telehealth in 2025, focusing on technology, compliance, and protocols for nurse practitioners.
Understanding Telehealth Regulations
Telehealth regulations are evolving quickly. Staying compliant with these regulations ensures the legality and effectiveness of your telehealth services.
The legal landscape of telehealth has varying rules and requirements across different jurisdictions, so it’s important for NPs to have a clear understanding of the regulatory framework governing their practice.
Key Regulatory Areas
Licensing and Credentialing: Nurse practitioners must be licensed in the state where the patient is located at the time of the telehealth encounter. Keeping track of multiple state licenses can be challenging, but it's necessary to operate legally across state lines. This requires NPs to be diligent in maintaining up-to-date credentials and understanding the nuances of interstate practice laws. There may also be additional requirements for credentialing with telehealth platforms and networks.
Patient Privacy and Confidentiality: Compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) remains a cornerstone of telehealth practice. NPs should make sure that all telehealth platforms used are HIPAA-compliant and protect patient information. Beyond HIPAA, NPs must be aware of any state-specific privacy laws that may impose additional requirements on telehealth practices. Using strong security measures and regularly updating privacy policies are steps to safeguarding patient data and keeping trust.
Reimbursement Policies: Insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, have specific guidelines for telehealth billing that NPs must follow to be compensated properly. Familiarity with billing codes and documentation requirements is essential for maximizing reimbursement opportunities and minimizing the risk of claim denials.
Leveraging Telehealth Technology
Embracing the right technology can improve the quality of your telehealth services. The rapid development of telehealth technology presents both opportunities and challenges, and NPs should select the tools that best meet their practice needs and patient preferences.
Essential Telehealth Tools
Secure Video Conferencing Platforms: Choose a platform that offers secure, encrypted video calls to ensure patient privacy and compliance with legal standards. User interfaces should be intuitive and accessible to patients of all technological backgrounds. Additionally, platforms that offer features like screen sharing and document sharing can improve communication during telehealth consultations.
Electronic Health Records (EHR) Integration: If possible, choose a telehealth solution that integrates with your existing EHR system. This gives you easy access to patient records and streamlines the documentation process. Having a unified system that consolidates telehealth and in-person visit data can improve care plans and decision-making.
Remote Monitoring Devices: Remote monitoring tools are a relatively new innovation and can gather vital patient data, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels if needed. These devices continuously monitor patients, allowing for timely interventions. Remote monitoring can also empower patients to take an active role in managing their health. Selecting devices that offer real-time data transmission and integration with EHRs can streamline your clinical workflow.
Recommendations for User-Friendly Tech
The success of telehealth relies heavily on the technology used. It’s important for healthcare providers to invest in user-friendly technology that is easy for both patients and providers to use. This includes video conferencing software, remote monitoring devices, and patient portals.
Below are a few examples.
Zoom for Healthcare
Zoom, a widely used video conferencing platform, offers a specialized version for healthcare providers called "Zoom for Healthcare." It ensures compliance with healthcare privacy regulations and provides a secure environment for virtual consultations. With an intuitive interface, easy scheduling, and support for multiple devices, Zoom for Healthcare is user-friendly for both healthcare professionals and patients.
Doxy.me
Doxy.me is a telemedicine solution that focuses on simplicity and ease of use. It allows healthcare providers to conduct secure video consultations with patients without requiring them to download any software. The platform is accessible through web browsers, making it convenient for users who may not be tech-savvy.
Teladoc Health
Teladoc Health is a leader in virtual care, offering platform for a broad range of services including primary care, mental health, chronic disease management, and specialist consultations. It is widely used by health systems, employers, and insurers to provide remote care solutions.
Epic MyChart
Epic MyChart is a patient portal that is integrated with the Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. It allows patients to access their medical records, schedule appointments, and communicate with their healthcare providers securely. The portal's user-friendly interface enhances patient engagement and promotes active participation in their healthcare management.
Cerner HealtheLife
Cerner's patient portal, HealtheLife, offers a range of features for users to manage their health information. Patients can view test results, request prescription refills, and communicate with their healthcare team. The portal is designed with a user-friendly interface to empower patients in managing their health information conveniently.
Establishing Telehealth Protocols
Establishing clear protocols will create a positive telehealth experience for both practitioners and patients. Protocols should cover most aspects of the telehealth encounter, from setup to follow-up. See below for a range of potential protocols.
Effective Telehealth Protocols
Pre-Visit Preparation: Ensure that patients receive clear instructions on how to access the telehealth platform, what to expect during the visit, and any necessary preparations. Providing educational resources or conducting a brief orientation session can help promote a successful telehealth experience. In addition, confirming patient contact information and technical capabilities prior to the visit can prevent disruptions and delays.
The Telehealth Visit: During the visit, maintain a professional demeanor and environment, just as you would in an in-person visit. Make sure that your background is neutral and free from distractions. Maintain high-quality audio and video. Encourage patient participation and address concerns thoroughly.
Documentation and Follow-Up: Document the telehealth encounter in the patient's EHR. Schedule any necessary follow-up appointments and provide patients with a summary of the visit, including any recommended next steps or prescriptions. Clear documentation ensures helps establish continuity of care and facilitates collaboration with other healthcare providers involved in the patient's treatment. Follow up with patients through secure messaging or phone calls to reinforce care plans and address any lingering questions or issues.
Telehealth Best Practices for Nurse Practitioners
To excel in telehealth, nurse practitioners can adopt best practices to provide personalized, high-quality care in a digital environment.
Patient-Centered Care
Active Listening: Pay close attention to the patient's concerns and questions. Demonstrating empathy and understanding builds trust and improves patient satisfaction.
Clear Communication: Use simple, jargon-free language to explain medical terms and procedures. Confirm that the patient understands the information provided to them. Effective communication can improve patient comprehension and reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings.
Continuous Professional Development
Stay Updated: If possible, attend telehealth training sessions and webinars to stay informed about the latest technologies, regulations, and best practices. Staying engaged with the latest information can help you adapt to changes in the landscape and maintain clinical excellence.
Peer Collaboration: Building a network of colleagues and mentors can provide valuable insights and support. Collaborative initiatives, such as peer reviews and case discussions, can improve the quality of your telehealth service.
Quality Assurance and Feedback
Solicit Patient Feedback: Encourage patients to provide feedback on their telehealth experience. Use this information to identify areas for improvement. Regularly analyzing patient feedback can reveal patterns that inform practice adjustments, and implementing patient suggestions shows a commitment to patient-centered care.
Regularly Review Protocols: Periodically review and update telehealth protocols to make sure they align with current regulations and industry standards. Involving staff in the review process can provide valuable context and create a work culture of shared accountability.
Conclusion
Nurse practitioners continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare. By using these best practices, you can ensure that telehealth remains a safe, effective, and patient-centered mode of care delivery. Your ongoing commitment to excellence in telehealth can strengthen our healthcare system by making quality care more accessible and equitable for all.
How Zivian Health Supports Nurse Practitioners
Zivian Health connects nurse practitioners to a nationwide network of experienced physicians to form long-term, compliant healthcare collaborations. Finding an excellent collaborator is where we begin, but our one-of-a-kind platform manages all the elements of collaboration compliance and collaboration quality so that you can focus on patient care.
Zivian also provides a range of services to improve the quality of healthcare providers’ professional lives, including licensing and credentialing, medical oversight, medical advisory and consulting, and much more.
The Zivian Health platform offers collaboration agreement storage, secure messaging and chart review features, a continually updated database of state regulations for Physician-APP collaborations, and creates an audit trail for all collaboration activity.
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