About the Section on Telehealth Care

In 1998, a group of AAP members formed a special interest group that addressed the growing trend in telephone medicine. This group became a provisional Section in 1998 with 48 charter members under the leadership of Steven Poole. In 2002 the Section was granted full Section status. In 2008, the name and scope of the Section were extended to encompass telehealth care. Today, the Section has nearly 500 members.

The Section serves as a forum for pediatricians (generalists and specialists) call center and other telehealth care directors, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, nurses and office managers interested in collecting, analyzing, discussing, and disseminating current practices and charting new directions for pediatric telehealth care through education, research, advocacy, and policy development.

Mission Statement

To attain optimal telehealth care for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults as part of the continuum of health care delivery services supporting the medical home. To that end, the Section is committed to advancing the following objectives:

• Educate pediatricians and others about the delivery of pediatric telehealth care, including medical, technological, regulatory, coding and payment issues that impact telehealth care. National Conference and Exhibition sessions, electronic messaging, online compendium, listserv and other communication modalities may be used.

• Create resources to teach pediatricians and pediatric trainees how to deliver quality pediatric care via quality telehealth care methods.

• Provide mentorship to pediatricians regarding the use of telehealth care.

• Promote research related to issues of access, quality, value/cost and outcomes in telehealth care.

• Promote best practices related to telehealth care documentation and communication of information with the pediatric medical home.

• Participate in policy development within the academy; review and advise on policies and guidelines related to pediatric telehealth care developed by non-academy groups.

• Proactively address concerns about patient safety, patient privacy and medicolegal risks related to telehealth care.

• Advocate for appropriate use of and payment for telehealth care services. 

Vision

Telehealth care is integrated into the menu of services provided through the medical home and is valued by pediatricians, patients and families, and payers and paid at an appropriate rate. Pediatricians are compensated appropriately based on the services they provide. These services may be provided in-person or remotely using appropriate telehealth technology, depending on the needs of the patient, without affecting payment.