High-quality telemedicine is an important part of a modern and efficient healthcare system, and it’s especially helpful in rural areas where some people must travel great distances to see a specialist. Allergy & Asthma Network is committed to working with policymakers to develop telemedicine legislation and regulations that balance patient safety and access to affordable treatment.
In North Dakota, a regulation was proposed that would hinder patients’ ability to use telemedicine by requiring the use of audio-visual technology to establish a patient-license relationship. A high-speed Internet connection would be required to support streaming video, and many North Dakotans lack access to broadband internet services.
Allergy & Asthma Network submitted comments to the North Dakota Board of Medicine and Legislature Administrative Rules Committee expressing concerns over the proposed regulation and requested an amendment to eliminate restrictive language and expand care options while preserving patient safety.
On December 5, 2017, the proposed rule was sent back to the Board for further consultation. Allergy & Asthma Network was mentioned in the local paper’s coverage of the meeting.
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