Telemedicine rules in the District of Columbia underwent a second round of revisions as the District of Columbia Department of Health issued a new set of proposed rules. The newly-revised proposed telemedicine rules, issued in July, replace the Department’s first draft of telemedicine regulations issued in early 2016, and incorporate comments submitted by a number of telehealth industry advocates. Other than a 2014 policy statement, the D.C. Medical Board’s current laws are silent as to telemedicine practice.
Based upon the review of the public comments and its Telemedicine Workgroup recommendations, the Board of Medicine amended its initial proposed regulations for greater clarity and to eliminate unnecessary barriers. Here is a summary of the notable changes contained in the new rules:
Here are the key takeaways health care providers, hospitals, and start-up companies looking to enter the D.C. market should consider if the proposed telemedicine rules are implemented without further changes:
We will continue to monitor the proposed telemedicine rules for when the final version is published.
For more information on telemedicine, telehealth, virtual care, and other health innovations, including the team, publications, and other materials, visit Foley’s Telemedicine Practice.