Due to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government and the Ministry of Health were forced to make the provision of health services for the medical care of affected patients more flexible.
During the term of the sanitary emergency declared by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, due to the pandemic derived from the Coronavirus COVID-19, the departmental or district health secretariat or the territorial health directorates, upon request of the health service providers registered in the Health Services Registry - REPS-, will authorize them to:
- To temporarily adapt a place not intended for the provision of health services, inside or outside its facilities.
- To reconvert or adapt a health service temporarily for the provision of another non-qualified service.
- Expand the installed capacity of an authorized health service.
- Providing services in modalities or complexities different from those authorized.
- Providing other non-licensed health services.
What is required for the provision of services under these conditions?
Authorization is only required from the departmental or district health secretariats, or the territorial health directorates. This authorization request will be submitted by the health service provider, through the special registry of health service providers -REPS.
How much time do the territorial health secretaries have to respond?
Once the information is reviewed and if deemed necessary, the competent authority may visit the place where the service is to be provided. If it does not carry out the visit, it shall determine whether or not to grant the transitory authorization within three (3) calendar days following the request. In case it decides to make the visit, this shall be made within two (2) calendar days following the receipt of the request, and within the calendar days following the visit, it shall decide whether or not to grant the transitory authorization; if no answer is given within the terms defined above, the service shall be understood to be automatically authorized.
However, the authorized services are not permanently enabled, but only during the term of the sanitary emergency declared by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
Providers must implement digital platforms for patient diagnosis and follow-up.
In order to facilitate access to health services, as of April 12, 2020 in Colombia, health service providers will be required to MUST implement accessible digital platforms with basic audio and video standards that allow the diagnosis and monitoring of the patient, relaxing the principle of security established in paragraph g of Article 4 of Law 1581 of 2012, and in paragraph b of Law 527 of 1999 and its regulatory decrees, this is defined in Decree 538 of 2020.
How to request transitional authorization for telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic contingency?
In order to obtain the transitory authorization for the provision of health services in the telemedicine modality by the departmental or district health secretariat, the health service provider registered in the Special Registry of Health Service Providers -REPS must:
Log in to the REPS platform at https://prestadores.minsalud.gov.co/habilitacion/autorizacion_transitoria_servicios_salud.aspx with your user code and password and register:
- Name of the service to be provided.
- Modality and category of telemedicine to be offered.
- Complexity in which the health service will be provided (when applicable).
- Domicilio o lugar de la prestación.
- Installed capacity, when applicable.
- Interdependent services when applicable.
- E-mail contact.
- Requesting transitional authorization.
- In the event that a visit is made by the departmental or district health department, the visit must be received and the required information must be provided.
- Initiate care upon receipt of transitional authorization.
In COCO we have developed a simple solution, according to the needs and in compliance with current regulations. If you need more information about our services, contact us.
