On October 7th Governor Brown signed Bill AB 415, authored by Assemblyman Dan Logue (R-Linda), to encourage the use of technology for consults between hospitals. AB 415, "The Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011," aims to make it easier for healthcare providers to use telehealth when treating patients, especially in underserved areas of California.
"Telehealth has the potential to cut costs, increase access, and improve the quality of health care in California," commented Logue in a press statement.
The bill does not replace a healthcare provider with technology, but rather allows the provider to use today’s advanced technology as a tool to provide the best care possible.
The new law will increase the use of telehealth in healthcare by removing obstacles such as outdated provisions and unnecessary requirements that pertain to the expanding use of telehealth in healthcare delivery. AB 415 will replace the obsolete legal term of "telemedicine" with the broader and more appropriate term "telehealth." The updating to the term serves to apply the definition to all licensed health professionals. The law also removes requirements for additional written patient consent specifically for telehealth services and replaces it with a requirement for verbal consent.
The measure also removes the Medi-Cal rule requiring documentation of a barrier to an in-person visit prior to a beneficiary receiving telehealth services. Also in an effort to increase the ease of using telehealth, the law eliminates restrictions on the type of settings, such as hospitals or doctors’ offices, where telehealth may be used.
Center for Telehealth (CTeL) Vice President Jana Katz¬ Bell stated that CTeL was very pleased with the outcome and that AB 415 "was a tremendous example of state-wide collaboration involving many organizations sharing a common goal."
Today’s technology allows for a dramatic improvement in patient access to specialty care and improves individuals’ ability to interact and train with leading medical professionals and colleagues in remote locations. Telehealth helps underserved areas that face shortages in medical and dental services by providing cost-effective technology that aids both the healthcare providers and the patients.
Click here for a summary of AB 415 prepared by the Center for Connected Health Policy.
Click here for a copy of AB 415 as signed by Governor Brown.
