Florida Senate - 2021                              CS for SB 864
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Health Policy; and Senator Brodeur
       
       
       
       
       
       588-02995-21                                           2021864c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to telehealth; amending s. 456.47,
    3         F.S.; revising the definition of the term
    4         “telehealth”; revising an exemption from telehealth
    5         registration requirements; providing an effective
    6         date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and subsection
   11  (6) of section 456.47, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   12         456.47 Use of telehealth to provide services.—
   13         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
   14         (a) “Telehealth” means the use of synchronous or
   15  asynchronous telecommunications technology by a telehealth
   16  provider to provide health care services, including, but not
   17  limited to, assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, and
   18  monitoring of a patient; transfer of medical data; patient and
   19  professional health-related education; public health services;
   20  and health administration. The term does not include audio-only
   21  telephone calls, e-mail messages, or facsimile transmissions.
   22         (6) EXEMPTIONS.—A health care professional who is not
   23  licensed to provide health care services in this state but who
   24  holds an active license to provide health care services in
   25  another state or jurisdiction, and who provides health care
   26  services using telehealth to a patient located in this state, is
   27  not subject to the registration requirement under this section
   28  if the services are provided:
   29         (a) In response to an emergency medical condition as
   30  defined in s. 395.002; or
   31         (b) In consultation with a health care professional
   32  licensed in this state who has ultimate authority over the
   33  diagnosis and care of the patient.
   34         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.