Telehealth criteria

ACC services enabled for Telehealth

You can find information on what services allow for Telehealth consultations with ACC clients.

Services enabled for Telehealth

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth is a way for providers to deliver clinically appropriate health services to clients who are in a separate location by using various communication technologies.

The use of Telehealth is becoming more common in the healthcare sector and can be an effective alternative for clients when in-person appointments are not practical or are restricted.

It can be beneficial for clients as well as providers in overcoming barriers such as location, travel, and cost. It can also help improve inequities in access to health care generally.

There may be times when Telehealth is not the right option for a client. For example, they may not have access to videoconferencing technologies or a reliable internet service.

In these situations, telephone consultations may be used for ACC clients if videoconferencing is not possible.

We know telephone consultations will reduce the ability to effectively manage clients and therefore only expect it to be used where other alternatives are not available or clinically appropriate for clients.

Telehealth guidelines for providers

We’ve created a Telehealth guide to support providers in deciding when and how to use Telehealth with ACC clients.

ACC8331 Telehealth guide

Because every client is different, there is no single correct way to deliver Telehealth. However, it is critical the provider and client feel safe and comfortable with the arrangements discussed.

This guide has been developed by our clinical team who have drawn on international experiences and evidence, particularly around providing health care under COVID-19 restrictions.

It will help providers think about and mitigate the risks of Telehealth, including around privacy and confidentiality. It is designed to be considered alongside the provider’s professional body or regulatory authority guidelines and contractual obligations with ACC.

Telehealth codes and rates

If the service you're providing is Telehealth enabled, use normal codes and rates unless specified otherwise.

If specified, you can find service item codes and rates for Telehealth invoices on our website.

Service item codes and rates for Telehealth invoices

Criteria to meet when providing Telehealth

Telehealth is designed to replace a regular in-person consultation session.

Providers must charge ACC appropriately for these appointments. Short telephone conversations with patients, or other communication outside of a consultation, are not considered chargeable sessions.

If a service is Telehealth enabled, there are some criteria for health professionals to meet to provide consultations appropriately. You must:

• make sure the use of Telehealth is clinically appropriate
• complete a risk assessment and determine if Telehealth is a safe method of delivery. Your risk assessment may need to be continually reviewed
• provide an appropriate standard of service to our clients based on their clinical need
• make sure clients are within the TLA/regions specified in your contract
• obtain the client’s consent to provide services via Telehealth
• follow the guidelines or standards of your regulatory authority or professional body
• make sure that both the client receiving the Telehealth service and the provider delivering the service, are physically present in New Zealand at the time the service is provided
• use a Telehealth technology interface that meets the requirements outlined by the NZ Telehealth forum and resource centre.

You can find more details about these criteria in the Telehealth guide mentioned above, or there’s more advice on the NZ Telehealth forum and resource centre.

NZ Telehealth forum and resource centre

Where a regulatory authority doesn't hold a relevant standard, providers will align to Allied Health Aotearoa New Zealand’s best practice guideline or the Medical Council of New Zealand's standard.

Allied Health best practice guide for Telehealth

Medical Council of New Zealand Telehealth statement

You'll still need to consider the causation of the injury when completing the ACC45 during a Telehealth consultation. To be covered by ACC, your patient must have a personal injury caused by an accident or work-related gradual process, disease, or infection.

Your patient must provide consent for the ACC45 to be lodged. To lodge your claim either use the electronic ACC45, or submit the claim through your Practice Management System.

Patient consent for Telehealth consults

Please read out the following statement to your patient and record your patient's response in their clinical record:

• do you declare that you have provided true and correct information and you'll tell ACC if your situation changes?
• do you authorise me as your (name of health profession: GP, physiotherapist, etc) to lodge your claim with ACC?
• do you authorise your records to be collected or disclosed to ACC to help determine cover for your claim, determine what you'll be entitled to, or for research purposes, such as injury prevention, or assessment, and rehabilitation?

Safe use of videoconferencing platforms

There are many digital technology platforms which can be used for Telehealth including, but not limited to, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Doxy.me, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, WhatsApp video and WeChat.

Each service will have advice and recommendations of ways to ensure privacy and security of calls.

Zoom is a frequently used communication tool to deliver services via Telehealth. Being free, and almost universally accessible, it's an effective tool for communicating with clients when in-person consultations aren't possible.

Zoom's website outlines security features and privacy practices for hosts.

How to keep uninvited guests out of your Zoom event

Our staff can be invited into video conferences where required, however, this will be via audio and we won't enable video unless this is part of our normal role.