BILL NUMBER: AB 329 CHAPTERED 10/10/07 CHAPTER 386 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 10, 2007 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 10, 2007 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 27, 2007 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 30, 2007 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 19, 2007 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2007 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Nakanishi (Coauthors: Assembly Members Arambula, Fuller, and Maze) (Coauthors: Senators Cogdill and Ridley-Thomas) FEBRUARY 13, 2007 An act to add Section 2028.5 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to medicine. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 329, Nakanishi. Chronic diseases: telemedicine. Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, creates the Medical Board of California that is responsible for issuing a physician and surgeon' s certificate to practice medicine and for regulating the practice of physicians and surgeons. The act also regulates the practice of telemedicine, defined as the practice of health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, transfer of medical data, and education using interactive audio, video, or data communications. This bill would authorize the board to establish a pilot program to expand the practice of telemedicine, and would authorize the board to implement the program by convening a working group. The bill would specify that the purpose of the pilot program would be to develop methods, using a telemedicine model, of delivering health care to those with chronic diseases and delivering other health information. The bill would require the board to make recommendations regarding its findings to the Legislature within one calendar year of the commencement date of the pilot program. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 2028.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 2028.5. (a) The board may establish a pilot program to expand the practice of telemedicine in this state. (b) To implement this pilot program, the board may convene a working group of interested parties from the public and private sectors, including, but not limited to, state health-related agencies, health care providers, health plan administrators, information technology groups, and groups representing health care consumers. (c) The purpose of the pilot program shall be to develop methods, using a telemedicine model, to deliver throughout the state health care to persons with chronic diseases as well as information on the best practices for chronic disease management services and techniques and other health care information as deemed appropriate. (d) The board shall make a report with its recommendations regarding its findings to the Legislature within one calendar year of the commencement date of the pilot program. The report shall include an evaluation of the improvement and affordability of health care services and the reduction in the number of complications achieved by the pilot program.