S-0559.1

SENATE BILL 5386

BySenators Becker, Cleveland, Rivers, O'Ban, Short, Braun, Wilson, L., Holy, Brown, Warnick, Bailey, Zeiger, Conway, and Van De Wege

AN ACT Relating to training standards in providing telemedicine services; and adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.70 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The legislature finds that a large segment of Washington residents do not have access to critical health care services. Telemedicine is a way to increase access to health care services to those who would otherwise not have reasonable access. The legislature therefore intends to ensure that health care professionals who provide services through telemedicine, as defined in RCW 70.41.020, in cities and rural areas alike, have current information available, making it possible for them to provide telemedicine services to the entire state of Washington.

(2) Beginning January 1, 2022, a health care professional who provides clinical services through telemedicine shall complete telemedicine training and attest acknowledgment and understanding, and maintain documentation of training and attestation, prior to providing services through telemedicine to patients located in Washington. The training:

(a) Must include information on current state and federal law, liability, informed consent, and other criteria established by the collaborative for the advancement of telemedicine, in collaboration with the department and the Washington state medical quality assurance commission;

(b) Must include a question and answer methodology to demonstrate accrual of knowledge; and

(c) May be made available in electronic format and completed over the internet.

(3) The training required by this section may be incorporated into existing telemedicine training programs, provided that the training meets the requirements in subsection (2) of this section.

(4) The training and attestation of understanding required by this section must be completed every four years.

(5) For purposes of this section, a "health care professional" means a person licensed, registered, or certified to provide health services.

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