American Heart Association Launches Telehealth Certification

The American Heart Association has launched a telehealth certification program aimed at standardizing training for healthcare providers, increasing skills and competencies, and improving patient outcomes.
 
The offering from the American Heart Association Center for Telehealth (formerly the American Board of Telehealth) is supported through grants from the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The education program combines research, hands-on experiences, and best practices with assessment through live remote proctoring. Certifications must be renewed every three years.
 
Telehealth use took off during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has continued to grow. According to a 2021 McKinsey & Company study, telehealth use has stabilized at levels 38 times higher than before the pandemic.
 
Andrew Watson, M.D., volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s Telehealth Certification Development Workgroup, says the dramatic increase in usage demonstrates a need for telehealth-centric learning to improve the standard of care.
 
“The American Heart Association’s individual telehealth certification is a way for health care professionals to ensure they are providing the highest standard of care in this evolving delivery system,” says Watson, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center surgeon.

According to the American Hospital Association, telehealth can make healthcare more effective, accessible, and efficient, particularly for those who would otherwise lack access to quality healthcare.