Telehealth: Telemedicine (teleconsultation, telesurveillance...)

Verified 01 January 2024 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

What is telemedicine? It is a remote medical practice through the use of new technologies. It can be used for diagnosis, for medical follow-up, for prescribing health products. It is reflected in particular by remote consultation and remote monitoring. For example, teleconsultation allows people to see their doctor through a computer, tablet, or smartphone equipped with a webcam and connected to the Internet.

Telemedicine comprises 5 concepts:

  • Teleconsultation
  • Remote monitoring
  • Teleexpertise
  • Remote Assistance
  • Medical regulation by the UAS - Centers 15.

Please note

In the case of telemedicine, the prescription or renewal of a work stoppage may be subject to specific rules.

Teleconsultation

Teleconsultation is when a medical professional gives a remote consultation to a patient. Another healthcare professional may be present with you and, if necessary, assist the medical professional remotely during the teleconsultation. Any insured person may benefit from the teleconsultation. It is better reimbursed under the care pathway.

Regardless of where you live (including in overseas departments and regions), your age or your medical condition, you can use teleconsultation.

The same is true of any doctor, whatever his specialty.

It is the attending physician who decides, on a case-by-case basis, and after exchanging with you, whether to use teleconsultation. This includes your ability to communicate remotely and use digital technology. Your consent is required.

You and your doctor may at any time suspend the teleconsultation if it is not or no longer suitable for your condition.

You can also request a teleconsultation. It is best to discuss this with your doctor.

FYI  

If you have symptoms of infection or are known to have Covid-19, you can seek teleconsultation without going through your doctor.

Like any consultation, you have to make an appointment.

It is the doctor who sends you a link inviting you to connect from your home to a secure site or application, via a computer, tablet or smartphone. A webcam is required.

On the advice of your doctor, you can also go to a dedicated place equipped with video transmission settled nearby (for example, in a multiprofessional health home, a pharmacy equipped with a cabin or a trolley for teleconsultation...).

Please note

at the end of the appointment, the doctor writes a report. He archives it in his patient file and in your digital health space. This report is sent to your treating doctor (and the doctor who requested the procedure) to ensure coordinated care between healthcare professionals.

In principle, to be taken care of, only a doctor from the same territory as yours can carry out the teleconsultation. There are exceptions.

Example :

You live in an area characterized by a lack of care supply, you have been referred by the regulator service of the access to care service (SAS) in case of failure of an appointment in the territory.

Teleconsultation is part of a journey of care that a refund. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor.

However, this is not necessary if

  • You can already consult specialists in direct access (gynecologists, ophthalmologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychiatrists, pediatrics, oral or maxillofacial surgery and stomatologists)
  • You're under 16
  • You're in an emergency situation
  • You do not have a treating physician or your treating physician is not available within a time frame consistent with your medical condition
  • You're an inmate
  • You reside in a Ehpad: titleContent or in establishments for or accompanying disabled adults, often far from their original home.

Please note

In addition, for support, teleconsultation must:

  • Respect the quality of care: a regular follow-up of the patient, alternating with in-person consultations (on site) and teleconsultations according to your needs and the appreciation of the doctor

  • Be the subject of oral communication (video or telephone) between you and the healthcare professional.

Tableau - Examples of teleconsultation rates

Doctor

Rate

General Practitioner

€25

Non-Optam Specialist

€23

Optam Specialist

€30

Psychiatrist

non-Optam

€42.50

Psychiatrist

Optam

€50.20

Non-OPTAM gynecologist

€23

Gynecologist OPTAM

€32

The methods of payment remain the same as for an in-office consultation.

The doctor tells you how to pay for the teleconsultation.

Example :

Check, bank transfer, online payment solution

As with any consultation, the paying third party (medical expense waiver) is applied if you are in one of the following situations:

Domotique

Remote monitoring allows a medical professional to remotely interpret the patient’s health data collected at the patient’s place of residence and to make decisions about patient management using a digital medical device.

Telemonitoring can be implemented if your treatment requires a period of medical follow-up.

It is particularly suitable if you are at risk of hospitalization or a complication of your disease.

Example :

Chronic conditions, discharge from hospital

A telemonitoring operator may be:

  • A medical professional alone
  • A liberal multiprofessional team
  • A structure

Example :

Health center, health facility, medico-social facility or service, inter-professional ambulatory care business

Like all medical procedures, the provision of medical telemonitoring is charged at a regulated amount.

You only have to pay this amount to the telecom operator.

This amount is paid at 100% by Health Insurance and your mutual as part of responsible packages.

Remote monitoring can be supported in 6 situations:

  • Heart failure
  • Renal failure
  • Respiratory failure
  • Diabetes
  • Implantable cardiac prostheses
  • Systemic (whole-body) cancer therapy for some major cancers.

Other telemedicine

Other telemedicine activities are teleexpertise, teleassistance and medical regulation carried out by the UAS - Centers 15.

Teleexpertise

Teleexpertise enables a health professional (nurse, speech-language pathologist, etc.) to request the opinion of one or more medical professionals (doctor, midwife) remotely because of their particular training or skills, based on the health information related to the care of a patient.

All medical situations are likely to be affected by the telescoping.

Teleexpertise makes it possible, for example, to give specialist advice to the general practitioner (diabetology, cardiology, dermatology, etc.) or to ask for advice from rare specialties (e.g. oncology).

Medical remote assistance

The purpose of remote medical assistance is to enable a medical professional to assist another medical professional remotely during the performance of an act.

Medical regulation

The medical regulation carried out by the UAS-centers 15 makes it possible to provide a medical response at a distance and to guide the patient in his care path.

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