Minnesota and Alabama have joined six other states in enacting a law that aims to expand the practice of telemedicine by streamlining physician licensure. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) and Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) on May 19 each signed into law the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, model legislation developed by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).
Larry D. Dixon, executive director for the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, said the law will help ease the physician shortage in rural and other underserved areas.
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“Now that [eight] states have enacted the compact legislation, we can begin the real work of establishing the compact to ensure patients have access to quality health care services, while maintaining the highest level of patient protections,” Mr. Dixon said in a statement.
The FSMB also announced the creation of a commission that will meet later this year to discuss the management and administration of the compact. Members of the commission will include two voting representatives appointed by each member state. Commissioners will be selected from physicians appointed to a member board, executives of a member board, or members of the public appointed to a member board.
Under the compact legislation approved physicians would be under the jurisdiction of the state medical board in which the patient is located at the time of the medical interaction. State boards of medicine would retain their individual authority for discipline and oversight. Interested physicians would also need to complete a background check including biometric data (such as fingerprints) and pass all components of either the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medicine Licensing Examination within three attempts.
The model legislation has been introduced in nearly 20 state legislatures. Alabama and Minnesota join Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming in enacting the law.