Ala. Admin. Code r. 630-X-13-.08

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 630-X-13-.08 - Emergency Telemedicine

(1) An optometrist who is licensed by another state to practice optometry, but who is not licensed in the state of Alabama pursuant to §§ 34-22-20 or 34-22-21, who utilizes telemedicine to provide optometric services in the state of Alabama from a distant site outside of the state of Alabama during a state of emergency is not subject to the requirements of this article. For the purposes of this section 13.08(1), a state of emergency means a natural or man-made disaster for which the Governor of the State of Alabama has declared or proclaimed a state of emergency or where the President of the United States has declared a disaster in accordance with the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 as amended. For the exemption contained in this section to apply, the patient receiving telemedicine services from the distant site must be located within the geographical boundaries established in the governor's declaration of a state of emergency or the president's disaster declaration.

(2) A provider who is contacted in an emergency shall not be subject to the notice and security provisions of this article. The provisions of this section 13.08(2) shall not apply to any non-emergency optometric services provided to the patient as a continuation of treatment initiated in the emergency or for a different condition or issue which arises later. For the purposes of this section 13.08(2), an emergency shall have the meaning and definition set out in section 13.01(2) above.

Adopted by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIII, Issue No. 05, February 27, 2015, eff. 3/13/2015.

Author: Dr. Fred Wallace

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 34-22-80 through 34-33-87.