Telehealth and telemedicine improves access to health care by breaking barriers caused by distance, access to transportation, time between visits, and availability of providers. This helps patients get the care they need more easily, and helps providers see more patients in less time.

To be HIPAA compliant, telemedicine platforms must incorporate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that reasonably and appropriately protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all data in accordance with the Security Rule.

Telemedicine is the use of communications technology, specifically, to provide real-time virtual care and remote clinical services to patients. Telehealth refers to all the other ways technology like video meetings can be used to facilitate non-clinical healthcare services like billing, administrative meetings, education, and training.