The AHA today expressed support for proposed changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' telemedicine credentialing and privileging requirements for hospitals, but said the changes do not go far enough. In a letter to CMS, AHA said the proposed changes "will allow access to telemedicine services to continue in a manner that is safe and beneficial for patients, while minimizing any unnecessary regulatory burden to providers." However, the letter notes that some hospitals contract with physician groups or other entities for the provision of telemedicine services. "Under the prior Joint Commission standards, hospitals were permitted to use the credentialing and privileging information from such groups as long as the entity was accredited by The Joint Commission through its ambulatory care accreditation program. We urge CMS to develop a similar process whereby hospitals can use the credentialing and privileging information from practitioners who fulfill the Medicare Conditions of Coverage."