FIN Newsletters

         "FLORIDA INTEREST NETWORK NEWS"         

         
JULY/AUGUST 2019

TELEMENTAL HEALTH LAW

This bill was signed into law late July 2019.

The bill creates a new section in the Florida statutes (Section 456.47, F.S.). A few ideas specific to MFTs include:

Key Definitions

Telehealth is defined as the use of synchronous or asynchronous telecommunications technology by a telehealth provider to provide health care services, including, but not limited to, assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, and monitoring of a patient; transfer of medical data; patient and professional health-related education; public health services; and health administration. Telehealth does not include audio-only telephone calls, e-mail messages, or fax transmissions.

Telehealth Provider is broadly defined as an individual who provides a health care service using telehealth, including a wide range of professions that include psychologist, clinical social worker, mental health counselor, psychotherapist, and marriage and family therapist, among many others. Telehealth provider also includes an individual licensed under a multi-state health care licensure compact of which Florida is a member state or an individual who obtains an out-of-state telehealth registration (discussed in more detail below).

Practice Standards. A provider must practice within the scope of their practice and the prevailing professional standards of practice as they would for in person Healthcare Services.

Telehealth Exams. A telehealth provider may use telehealth to perform a patient evaluation. If a telehealth provider conducts a patient evaluation sufficient to diagnose and treat the patient, the telehealth provider is not required to research a patient’s medical history or conduct a physical examination before using telehealth to provide health care services.

......To learn more about the Telemental Health law and other interesting topics in the 491 field, click on the link to the July/August Newsletter here: July_Aug-2019_FIN_Newsletter.pdf


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