S-1117.1
SENATE BILL 5636
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State of Washington | 65th Legislature | 2017 Regular Session |
By Senators Becker, Rivers, Bailey, Walsh, and Fain
Read first time 02/01/17. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to exploring solutions to allow telemedicine licensure reciprocity; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The use of telemedicine offers great potential for expanding access to health care, however professional licensure portability has been a barrier for some health professionals. States have been exploring various solutions that can offer licensure portability across state lines.
(2) The department of health shall convene a work group, in collaboration with the boards and commissions, to explore solutions that allow telemedicine licensure reciprocity for health professionals from our border states. Models that have been explored by other states include a special purpose license for telemedicine, arrangements that allow physician to physician consultations, a telemedicine certificate for physicians located outside the state, creation of a telemonitoring status, and a form that allows practice across state lines.
(3) The work group shall share findings with the collaborative for the advancement of telemedicine created by section 2, chapter 68, Laws of 2016, and begin implementation of options, to the degree possible, by January 1, 2018. Recommendations that require statutory authority shall be submitted to the legislature by December 1, 2017.
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