Id. Alabama added one caveat that limits special licensure to only those physicians who are practicing in states which have reciprocal legislation permitting Alabama physicians to cross their state border to practice medicine. In Arkansas, a physician located outside the state but who performs any act that is part of patient care initiated in Arkansas, including interpretation of radiologic studies or pathologic material that would affect the diagnosis or treatment of the patient, is deemed to be practicing medicine in the state and now requires full state licensure. Full licensure is not necessary where the remote physician is a medical specialist who provides only episodic consultation services, or a physician providing services to a medical school, or the service provided is unavailable in Arkansas, or where the remote physician physically examine the patient in another jurisdiction. Georgia also modified its definition of the practice of medicine. As a result, remote physicians must now, in most cases, obtain an unrestricted Georgia medical license to provide any patient care service to individuals in Georgia via an electronic medium that transfers patient data.
Several exceptions do apply.
In March, Mississippi's governor signed legislation modifying the state definition of the practice of medicine. Now a physician who renders a medical opinion or treats a patient in Mississippi, as a result of transmission of patient data by electronic or other means, must obtain a state license or risk disciplinary action. A license is not necessary where the patient evaluation is requested by a physician licensed in Mississippi who has already established a doctor-patient relationship with the individual to be treated by the physician outside of the state. Three states enacted legislation specifiying that patients must be given the opportunity to give written informed consent to telemedicine prior to engaging in any such consultation. The same bills contain language requiring confidentiality of all patient medical records generated through care via telemedicine and guaranteeing patient access to their medical records resulting from such care.