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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
telemedicine; physicians
Purpose
Allows telemedicine examinations to be conducted with a clinical evaluation that is appropriate for the patient and the patient's condition.
Background
The Arizona Medical Board (AMB) is responsible for protecting the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or unprofessional practitioners of allopathic medicine. Additionally, the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery (ABOE) regulates practitioners of osteopathic medicine (A.R.S. §§ 32-1403 and 32-1803).
Statute designates numerous acts of unprofessional conduct for licensees of the AMB and the ABOE, including prescribing, dispensing or furnishing prescription medication or a prescription-only device without either: 1) conducting a physical or mental health examination; or 2) previously establishing a physician-patient relationship. Current statute allows the physical or mental health examination to be conducted during a real-time telemedicine encounter with audio and video capability (A.R.S. §§ 32-1401 and 32-1854).
Telemedicine is the practice of health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation and treatment and the transfer of medical data through interactive audio, video or data communications that occur in the physical presence of the patient, including audio or video communications sent to a health care provider for diagnostic or treatment consultation (A.R.S. § 32-3601).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows physical or mental health telemedicine examinations conducted to prescribe, dispense or furnish prescription medication or prescription-only devices to include a clinical evaluation that is appropriate for the patient and patient's condition.
2. Removes the requirement that telemedicine encounters are conducted in real-time with audio and video capability.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 15, 2021
CRS/JP/kja