Patient Safety Guidance for the Virtual Visit provides practical advice for improving the safety of clinical encounters that take place via computer, smartphone, tablet or telephone. It describes steps clinicians can take before, during and after seeing patients remotely. It also covers what organizations can do to ensure that virtual care is accessible to all, including patients who face barriers such as insufficient connectivity, lack of appropriate devices, economic hardship, and physical or cognitive challenges.

The guide is based on insights gathered from an interdisciplinary task force of specialists in telehealth and patient safety, plus a review of current literature and scientific evidence. It was developed under the auspices of the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization of CRICO, the Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions, Inc.