mHealth: Regulation and How to Avoid Practicing Medicine on the Web Scott A. Edelstein, Esq. Partner Squire Sanders 37 Offices in 18 Countries Karl M. Nobert, Esq. Of Counsel Squire Sanders mHealth Trends • 81% of physicians have a smartphone1 • 45% of U.S. adults own smartphones • 52% of smartphone owners have used their phone to look for health information • 19% of smartphone owners have at least one health app on their phone.2 • 13,000 health, medical and fitness apps 2 1. 2011 Manhattan Research 2. 2012 Pew Research Mobile Health Report The Medical Device Classification System 3 Medical Device Classification • 3 Classes of Medical Devices • Class I (low risk) • Class II (medium risk) • Class III (high risk and novel devices) • Classes based on control levels 4 Risk Based Classification 1700+ Generic Devices 510(k) Exempt Class I Class II Class III Very low Low (~782) Medium (~799) High (~119) General Controls (may or may not be GMP exempt) General Controls Premarket Notification or 510(k) General & Special Controls 510(k) submission General & Special Controls Premarket Approval Level of Risk & Level of Regulatory Control 5 Examples • Medical Device Classes: –Class I –General Controls –Most exempt from premarket submission »Class II »Special Controls »Premarket Notification [510(k)] –Class III –Require Premarket Approval [PMA] 6 Device Classification Class I – Low Risk Devices - Registration and Listing - Labeling - Good Manufacturing Practices (Quality System Regulation) - Medical Device Reporting 7 CONTINUED What are General Controls? • • Basic authorities that provide FDA with the means to regulate medical devices. Applies to all medical devices regardless of classification, are subject to premarket and postmarket regulatory controls. - Establishment registration and device listing - Premarket notification or 510(k), if not exempt - Labeling - Misbranding - Adulteration - Quality Systems - Records and Reports / Medical Device Reporting (MDR) 8 Device Classification Class II – Medium Risk Devices • 9 General Controls Plus Special Controls - Performance Standards Post-Market Surveillance Patient Registries Guidelines - Other Appropriate Actions CONTINUED What are Special Controls? • Postmarket Surveillance Study • Patient Registries • Guidelines (e.g., Glove Manual) • Mandatory Performance Standard • Recommendations or Other Actions • Special Labeling (e.g., 882.5970, Cranial Orthosis) • General controls alone are insufficient to assure safety and effectiveness of Class II devices • Existing methods are available to provide such assurances. • Special controls may include special labeling requirements, mandatory performance standards and postmarket surveillance. • A few Class II devices are exempt from the premarket notification. 10 Device Classification CONTINUED Class III – High Risk Devices 11 - Life Sustaining - Life Supporting - Implants - Unreasonable Risk Of Injury Or Illness FDA’s Regulation of Mobile Medical Devices and Smartphone Applications ("apps") 12 Statutory Authority (h) The term "device" … means an instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent, or other similar or related article, including any component, part, or accessory, which is (1) recognized in the official National Formulary, or the United States Pharmacopeia, or any supplement to them, (2) intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, in man or other animals, or 13 (3) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals, and which does not achieve any of its principal intended purposes through chemical action within or on the body of man or other animals and which is not dependent upon being metabolized for the achievement of any of its principal intended purposes. What is an “app”? • A Mobile Application or “app” is: a software program that runs on smartphones and other mobile communications devices Examples: apps to monitor caloric intake for healthy weight maintenance, to allow doctors to view a patient's X-rays on their mobile device FDA intends to apply its regulatory requirements solely to a subset of mobile apps that it is calling mobile medical applications or "mobile medical apps." 14 Apps that FDA Intends to Regulate • Only those that meet the statutory definition of a device; and either: • are used as an accessory to a regulated medical device; or • transform a mobile platform into a regulated medical device. 15 FDA’s Proposed Regulatory Approach Mobile Medical Apps Other mobile apps that meet “device” definition Not considered mobile apps 16 FDA’s Proposed Regulatory Approach • Apps that FDA intends to regulate • May be classified as class I (general controls), class II (special controls in addition to general controls), or class III (premarket approval) • Other Apps + Enforcement Discretion • The Applicability of the Quality System Regulation 17 App Categories and Classifications 1) Displaying, storing or transmitting patient-specific medical device data in its original format – An MDDS (21 CFR 880.6310) (Class I) 2) Controlling the intended use, function, modes, or energy source of the connected medical device- An Accessory Required to comply with the controls applicable to that connected device. 3) Transforming or making the mobile platform into a regulated medical device – Radiological Image Display (21 CFR 892.2050) (Class II) 4) Creating alarms, recommendations or creating new information (data) by analyzing or interpreting medical device data – Cardiac Monitoring Software (21 CFR 870.2300) 18 Examples of Regulated Apps 19 Reg. # Medical Device Class # Filing 868.1900 Calculator, Pulmonary Function Interpretation (Diagnostic) II 510(k) 870.1110 Computer, Blood-Pressure II 510(k) 892.2010 Device, Digital Image Storage, Radiological 1 510(k) Exempt 870.2800 Electrocardiograph, Ambulatory, With Analysis Algorithm II 510(k) 868.2377 Monitor, Apnea, Home Use II 510(k) 884.2660 Monitor, Ultrasonic, Fetal II 510(k) 878.4810 Over-The-Counter Powered Light Based Laser For Acne II 510(k) 880.2700 Scale, Stand-On, Patient 1 510(k) Exempt 884.2900 Stethoscope, Fetal 1 510(k) Exempt Examples of Recently FDA Reviewed Mobile Medical Apps 20 FDA Cleared Mobile Medical App ASTRA Picture Archiving Communications Systems (K111694) (Candelis, Inc.) (9/15/11) • Device Description: ASTRA is a web-enabled software app that provides image processing and viewing tools and access to studies and reports from a Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, remote workstation, personal computer, or an iPhone, or iPad via a Virtual Private Network connection. • Intended Use: ASTRA is software image management intended to receive, process, review, display, print and archive medical images and data from imaging modalities (e.g., CR and DR). 21 FDA Cleared Mobile Medical App Carestream PACS (K110919) (Carestream Health, Inc.) (10/20/11) • Device Description / Intended Use: is an image management system whose intended use is to provide completely scaleable local and wide area PACS solutions for hospital and related institutions/sites, which will archive, distribute, retrieve and display images and data from all hospital modalities and information systems. 22 FDA Cleared Mobile Medical App Mobile MIM PACS (K112930) (MIM Software, Inc.) (12/2/11) • Device Description: In addition to SPECT, PET, CT, MRIf modalities, Mobile MIM can be used for the viewing Mnd/or display for diagnosis of X-ray and Ultrasound medical images. • Intended Use: The Mobile MIM software program is used for the viewing, registration, fusion, and/or display for diagnosis of medical images from the following modalities: SPECT, PET, CT, MRI, X-ray and Ultrasound. 23 Regulatory Collaboration and Enforcement 24 Regulatory Collaboration • Agency Cooperation • FTC’s Broad Mandate - Publications: • • Report: “Mobile Apps for Kids: Current Privacy Disclosures are Disappointing” (Feb. 2012) Guidance Document: “Marketing Your Mobile App: Get It Right from the Start” (Aug 2012) • Other Agencies with Potential Involvement 25 Regulatory Enforcement • Potential FDA Enforcement Action - Untitled and Warning Letters - Failure to comply with the device regulations - Unsupported labeling claims • FTC Enforcement Action - Deceptive Advertising - Unsubstantiated Claims - Financial Forfeiture - Recent mHealth Examples 26 Pursuing Medicare / Medicaid Reimbursement for Medical Devices 27 FDA / CMS Parallel Review Program • A recently created joint-Agency program that • allows for the simultaneous review for FDA medical device clearance and Medicare reimbursement approval • is designed to reduce the time between receiving FDA marketing approval and a Medicare national coverage determination. 28 Candidates for Parallel Review FDA and CMS have restricted this phase of parallel review for those innovative medical devices that meet one of the following criteria: • New technologies for which the applicant has had sufficient preinvestigational device exemption (“IDE”) interaction with FDA or an approved IDE application; • New technologies for which an original or supplemental approval or petition for de novo review would be required; or • New technologies that fall within the scope of a Part A (inpatient) or Part B (outpatient) Medicare benefit category and are not subject to the NCD. 29 Parallel Program Phases • Nomination – The sponsor of an innovative therapeutic or diagnostic device may nominate its device for participation in the parallel review program. • FDA/CMS Review – FDA and CMS will meet to consider a nomination within 30 days of receipt of nomination package. • Notification of Acceptance – After the agencies’ meeting, the applicant will be notified whether its device is an appropriate candidate for the program. • Acceptance Meeting – If the applicant is deemed to be an acceptable candidate, FDA and CMS will meet with the applicant either in person or by telephone. • FDA Review – Parallel review candidates will be reviewed according to the normal FDA review process. • CMS NCD Review and Timing – CMS will begin its informal review process sometime after the submission of the PMA or de novo petition. 30 Regulatory Implications of Using Apps for Telemedicine 31 Telemedicine Hospital Hub Telemedicine practitioners Developing Areas in Telemedicine • Licensure • Reimbursement • Confidentiality • Liability 33 Interstate Practice of Medicine • Statutes in several states specifically provide that furnishing telemedicine services to a patient constitutes the practice of medicine in that state. E.g., Oregon law requires a license for the practice of medicine across state lines and defines the practice of medicine across state lines as: – (1) The rendering directly to a person of a written or otherwise documented medical opinion concerning the diagnosis or treatment of that person located within this state for the purpose of patient care by a physician located outside this state as a result of the transmission of individual patient data by electronic or other means from within this state to that physician or the physician's agent 34 Interstate Practice of Medicine (cont’d) • Exceptions to general licensure requirement: Consultation Exception Emergencies Special or Temporary Telemedicine License Licensure by Endorsement 35 Consultation Exception • Most states allow physicians licensed in another state to provide consultations to local physicians • Scope of the exception varies by state 36 Consultation Exceptions No Statutory Exception Narrow Exceptions Broad Exceptions Consultation Exception (cont’d) • Exceptions can be grouped into 9 categories: General Consultation Exception Infrequent Consultation Exception Prohibition of Local Office Local Physician Responsibility Local Physician Request Primary vs. Secondary Requirements Combination Exceptions Unique Exceptions Uncompensated Consultations 38 Consultation Exception (cont’d) • Typical “general” consultation exception statute provides: “The following persons under the following limitations may practice medicine within the state without a license: (3) Any physician who is licensed in another state or country and who is meeting a physician licensed in this state, for purposes of consultation, provided such practice is limited to such consultation[.]” N.Y. Educ. L. § 6526(3). 39 Special or Temporary Licenses • 9 states issue special or temporary telemedicine licenses Washington Montana North Maine Dakota Vermont Minnesota Oregon Idaho New Hampshire South Dakota Wisconsin Nevada Michigan Utah Connecticut Iowa Nebraska Pennsylvania Illinois California Massachusetts New York Wyoming Indiana Ohio Kansas Missouri Virginia Kentucky North Carolina Tennessee Arizona Oklahoma Arkansas New Mexico South Carolina Mississippi Alabama Georgia Texas Louisiana Florida 40 New Jersey Delaware Maryland West Virginia Colorado Rhode Island Licensure by Endorsement • Many states provide for licensure of physicians who are licensed in another state • Process typically requires: Application Payment of fee (typically around $200) Verification of licensure from all other states where applicant is licensed Score reports from exams Fingerprinting 41 Strategies for Interstate Practice Strategy Pros/Cons Using only physicians licensed in state where they will practice Least efficient model, but lowest regulatory risk Structuring arrangement to fit within some combination of various consultation exceptions Most efficient model. Allows for operation in many, but not all states. Combination of all of the above Can allow for operation in all states Interstate Practice and Nurse Licensure Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact Allows nurse licensed in any participating state to practice without additional licensure in any other participating state Introduced in 1999 24 states now participate in the compact 43 Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact: Participating States Washington Montana North Maine Dakota Vermont Minnesota Oregon Idaho New Hampshire South Dakota Wisconsin Nevada Michigan Nebraska Utah Connecticut Iowa Pennsylvania Illinois California Massachusetts New York Wyoming Indiana Ohio Kansas Missouri Virginia Kentucky North Carolina Tennessee Arizona Oklahoma Arkansas New Mexico South Carolina Mississippi Alabama New Jersey Delaware Maryland West Virginia Colorado Rhode Island Georgia Texas Louisiana Florida Nurse Licensure: Non-Compact States • Every state allows for licensure by endorsement, so long as licensure requirements of applicant’s state are as stringent as requirements in endorsing state • Some states require nurses licensed by endorsement to complete state-specific continuing-education requirements E.g., Florida requires completion of a course on Florida laws and rules relating to the practice of nursing 45 Malpractice and General Liability • Physician-patient relationship • Standard of care • Jurisdiction • Choice of law • Insurance coverage • Recording encounters 46 Informed Consent • Oral and written consent • Translation 47 Requirements Related to Prescribing Drugs Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (Pub. L. No. 110-425) Prohibits online pharmacies from dispensing controlled substances without a valid prescription from a physician who has examined the purchaser in person 48 Requirements Related to Prescribing Drugs Many states require that a physician physically examine a patient before prescribing drugs for the patient (but not IL, PA, NY, NV and a few others) Every state prohibits “unprofessional conduct” Numerous state medical boards have issued policies prohibiting prescriptions “based solely on an on-line questionnaire or consultation.” Exceptions 49 Requirements Related to Prescribing Drugs • Exceptions: “Prescribing for a patient whom the physician has not personally examined may be suitable under certain circumstances. These may include, but not be limited to . . .prescribing for a patient of another physician for whom the prescriber is taking call, or continuing medication on a short-term basis for a new patient prior to the patient’s first appointment. Established patients may not require a new history and physical examination for each new prescription, depending on good medical practice.” Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners Rule 540-X-9-.11 50 Corporate Practice of Medicine Restrictions • Many states prohibit lay corporations from practicing medicine • In such states, physicians cannot be employed by a lay corporation • Presents challenges for multi-state corporations • Captive or “friendly” PC as a work-around • 14 states allow for an exception to licensing rules to allow doctors to practice telemedicine in certain circumstances 51 Captive PC Model Stock Transfer Restriction Agrmt. Licensed practioner Consulting Agrmt. $ Management Agrmt. PC 52 $ Telemedicine Company Medicare Reimbursement Originating Site (HPSA or non-MSA) 53 Eligible Sites •Physician or practitioner office •Inpatient or outpatient hospital •Critical access hospital •Federally qualified health ctr. •Rural health clinic •Hospital-based or critical access hospital ESRD •Skilled nursing facility •Community mental health ctr. Distant Site Eligible Providers •Physician •Nurse Practitioner •Physician Assistant •Nurse midwife •Clinical nurse specialist •Clinical psychologist •Clinical social worker •Registered dietitian Medicare Eligible Medical Services • Initial inpatient and follow-up inpatient consultations • Subsequent hospital care services • Subsequent nursing facility care services • Office or other outpatient visits • Individual psychotherapy • Pharmacologic management • Psychiatric diagnostic interview examination • End stage renal disease related services 54 Medicare Eligible Medical Services (cont’d) • Individual and group medical nutritional therapy • Neurobehavioral status exam • Individual and group health and behavior assessment and intervention • Individual and group kidney disease education services • Individual and group diabetes self-management training services • Smoking cessation 55 CY 2013 Proposed Medicare Eligible Services • Alcohol and/or substance abuse assessment and intervention • Alcohol misuse screening and behavioral counseling • Depression screening • Behavioral counseling to prevent STIs • Behavioral therapy for cardiovascular disease • Behavioral counseling for obesity 56 Medicare Reimbursement Conditions of Payment • Telehealth provider reimbursed per Medicare fee schedule • Telepresenter not required • Facility fee for originating site (currently $24.24) 57 Medicaid Reimbursement No Medicaid Reimbursement Medicaid Reimbursement Private Payor Reimbursement • Slow adoption • Only thirteen states have government mandated private payor reimbursement 59 Legal Issues • Fraud and Abuse Federal and state antikickback laws OIG opinions (98-18, 99-14, 03-4) 60 Legal Issues • Self-Referral Laws Federal and state laws • False Claims Act • Civil Monetary Penalties 61 Data Privacy and Security • HIPAA • State laws • EU Privacy Directive • Other foreign data privacy laws • FTC Truth in advertising Honor your privacy promises Clear, easy-to-read on small screen Revisions • Voluntary Privacy Code of Conduct Short-form notice 62 HIPAA Risks of Telemedicine • Computerization enables storage of large amounts of data in small spaces. • Networked information is accessible from anywhere at any time. • New databases and different types of data sets are more easily created. • Information is easily gathered, exchanged and transmitted. • HIPAA and OCR OCR enforces HIPAA, and it clearly applies to the transmission of protected health information by smartphones The loss of a smartphone may trigger breach notification requirements ONCHIT notes that mobile phones on the market meet no more than 40% of the security requirements of HIPAA or meaningful use Stage 2 standards; after manual configuration, compliance runs as high as 60%, according to some experts 63 State Data Breach Laws • 40 states have enacted legislation requiring disclosure for security breaches • Legislation pending in 8 states • Applies to businesses that maintain computerized data • Requires written notification • Personal information acquired by unauthorized person 64 Mission Impossible? 65 65 Contact Information Scott A. Edelstein Partner Squire Sanders (US) LLP 1200 19th Street, NW Washington DC 20036 scott.edelstein@squiresanders.com 202.626.6602 415.954.0205 Karl M. Nobert Of Counsel Squire Sanders (US) LLP 1200 19th Street, NW Washington DC 20036 karl.nobert@squiresanders.com 202.626.6630 66
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