Bill > S2090

Introduced Session

This bill expands the requirements of current law as they pertain to emergency care referrals made during a telemedicine or telehealth encounter. Under current law, there is a provision under which a health care provider engaging in telemedicine or telehealth is to make appropriate referrals for emergency care, if needed. The bill revises this provision to require a health care provider engaged in telemedicine or telehealth to make a good faith effort to directly activate and coordinate with emergency care services in accordance with the standard of care upon determining the patient is in need of emergency services. The bill provides that an emergency care plan is to pertain to areas where patients are located during a telemedicine or telehealth visit. A health care provider engaging in telemedicine or telehealth is to make a good faith effort to: provide the name and location of the patient to emergency services in oral and written form; determine the location of a patient if a patient is unaware of the patient's location; and provide the provider's and the patient's contact information to emergency services. A health care provider engaging in telemedicine or telehealth is to report suicide threats and suicide attempts made by a patient during a telemedicine or telehealth encounter to the Department of Health in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws, and will be required to document emergencies which occur during a telehealth or telemedicine visit. The bill requires professional licensing boards to include in their rules and regulations implementing the telemedicine and telehealth law requirements for emergency care plans that include standards and protocols for activating and coordinating with emergency care service providers serving the area in which the patient is located at the time of the telemedicine or telehealth encounter.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Holly Schepisi (R)*,  Mike Testa (R)*,  Jim Holzapfel (R),  Joe Pennacchio (R),  Nellie Pou (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document