S-4674.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6704

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senator Sutherland

Read first time 01/24/96.  Referred to Committee on Energy, Telecommunications & Utilities.

Relating to the use of telecommunications in the medical industry.

    AN ACT Relating to the use of telecommunications in the medical industry; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that modern telecommunications applications offer the potential to improve the health of citizens, especially in rural areas.  The legislature further finds that there is a need to examine a range of issues pertaining to telemedicine before these practices are likely to become widespread.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) By November 1, 1997, the state board of health shall complete a study on the current and potential use of telemedicine in the state.  The study shall include:

    (a) The nature and extent of current telemedicine use within the state;

    (b) The location and types of facilities within the state that would benefit from increased telemedicine availability;

    (c) The operating standards and characteristics most commonly employed in telemedicine system equipment used in and out of the state and projected trends in telemedicine system performance standards;

    (d) Any legal or institutional barriers to expanding the use of telemedicine in the state;

    (e) Recommended changes in rules and statutes so as to expand the use of telemedicine in the state; and

    (f) Any other findings or recommendations not otherwise specified under this section that the state board of health considers relevant and necessary concerning the development of intrastate and interstate telemedicine networks.

    (2) The state board of health shall report its findings to the legislative committees that cover telecommunications issues and health issues, the secretary of health, and the governor.

    (3) For the purposes of this section, "telemedicine" means technology allowing the exchange of medical information for the purpose of facilitating diagnoses, including but not limited to transmittal of images, test results, diagnostic results, and other medical data or medical information to or from a physician or other health professional at a location remote from the patient being examined.

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