Telemedicine

Provider Type

  • Physicians 
  • Hospitals
  • Ancillary

California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) considers the provision of health care service accessed through telemedicine an accepted venue for compliance with access to care. Participating providers that provide telemedicine services to improve compliance with access to care must do so in accordance with Insurance Code Section 10123.85 and as defined in the California Business & Professions Code Section 2290.5.

The CCHCS Office of Telemedicine Services coordinates all telemedicine services, and providers are approved by the Office of Telemedicine Services prior to becoming telemedicine providers. Providers are responsible for their own telemedicine equipment and data communications outside of a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) institution.

Telemedicine providers must submit their telemedicine availability schedule to the CCHCS Office of Telemedicine Services by the first of every month. Providers must use the Provider Monthly Calendar Template (PDF) and indicate their availability for a minimum of 90 days out. Changes to posted telemedicine availability cannot be made for dates within 15 days.

Recommendations for treatment must be submitted to the CDCR institution within three business days of rendering telemedicine services. Services are not complete until recommendations are received.

All telemedicine services must adhere to patient confidentiality policies and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. Additionally, participating providers must maintain medical record information on each patient who receives telemedicine services.

Telemedicine Provider Requirement

The provider must submit required dictated consultation reports to the institution within three business days. The dictated consultation reports must be submitted electronically in PDF (preferred), JPEG or TIFF format.

Telemedicine providers must utilize MedWeb, or its successor, to submit dictated consultation reports. Submitted dictated consultation reports must be final reports reviewed and approved by the licensed provider. Submitted dictated consultation reports must include the following:

  • The provider's medical specialty.
  • Full CCHCS patient identification, including CDCR number and birth date, or the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)* youth identification, including CDCR number and birth date.
  • Dictated consultation reports must be signed by the provider, either by hand or electronically. Provided services are considered incomplete until this report is completed.

*As of June 30, 2023, all Divisions of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) are closed. Juvenile offenders are no longer committed to the DJJ as of this date. Effective July 1, 2023, claims for health care services rendered to the DJJ youth should be directed to the county where the patient is located. Claims for services rendered on or prior to June 30, 2023, will continue to be the responsibility of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).