The American Medical Association has created a new resource for doctors to turn to for advice on telehealth in the age of the coronavirus.

It recently launched the AMA Telemedicine Quick Reference Guide, aimed at helping clinicians figure out best practices for implementing the tech. The guidelines cover everything from policy and coding to implementation.

The association also kicked off a virtual panel discussion on telemedicine and COVID-19, where clinicians can give their input and share experiences. The site includes a list of physicians deemed experts on using the technology in today's climate. Doctors can post questions on the panel and can get answers from other doctors and the experts.

Another component to the association's coronavirus efforts is a new resource on the code of ethics during the coronavirus pandemic. Doctors can also tap into a collection of AMA Journal articles on related ethics.

WHY IT MATTERS

With 332,930 reported coronavirus cases, doctors are scrambling to meet the needs of the growing patient population. Many in the healthcare industry are turning to telemedicine as a way to meet patient needs, while also keeping providers healthy.

"Telemedicine and technology are crucial ways to deliver care and keep our health care workers, patients and vulnerable populations safe, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the panel discussion reads. "This discussion is designed to share best practices and the latest policy and payment updates to support physicians and practices in expediting the implementation of telemedicine."

THE LARGER TREND

The AMA has been increasing its guidances and education around going digital for some time. In 2018, it launched the Digital Health Implementation Playbook, a guide that spells out steps for developing a digital health technology and best practices.

Last May it launched an online continuing medical education (CME) tool for healthcare workers called AMA Ed Hub. The portal lets clinicians earn, track and report their CMEs.