The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) recently released A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines to discuss key administrative, clinical, technical and ethical principles that should be considered in the course of providing telerehabilitation services to inform and assist practitioners in providing services based on client needs, current empirical evidence and available technologies.

The Telerehabilitation Guidelines represent a formalized record of best practices in the discipline, based on empirical data and clinical experience, according to the Washington, D.C.-based ATA.

Examples of best practices include:

• Professionals shall have the appropriate education, training/orientation and ongoing continuing education/professional development to ensure they possess the necessary competencies for the safe provision of quality health services;

• Delivery of services via telerehabilitation, whether interactive or store-and-forward, may require modifications to treatment material, techniques, equipment and settings. Regardless of any modifications made, professionals shall deliver services in accordance with professional standards of care and the principles of evidence-based practice (i.e., current best evidence, clinical expertise and client values and goals); and

• Organizations and/or professionals shall comply with national, state, local and other credentialing, privileging and regulatory requirements for licensure, certification and for the use of telerehabilitation.

Standards documents are developed by subject experts in the ATA membership and key stakeholder groups, in collaboration with the appropriate outside medical societies.

All ATA Standards and Guidelines documents are available on the ATA website.