HB 24-1048

House Bill 24-1048, which has been signed into law and will take effect on August 7, 2024, allows Colorado veterinarians to provide services through telehealth with their clients' consent. This means that after an initial in-person examination, a veterinarian can use video calls or other digital tools to diagnose and treat animals. The bill also permits licensed vets to refer patients to specialists who can then consult via telemedicine under the original vet’s relationship with the client. It ensures that only veterinarians with established relationships can prescribe medication remotely and sets rules for record-keeping and patient privacy. This change affects pet owners, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians in Colorado by expanding access to remote veterinary care while maintaining professional standards.

Official Summary

The act concerns the use of telehealth to provide veterinary services. The act defines different types of telehealth tools that can be used in a veterinary practice. In current law, one criterion for the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship is that the veterinarian has conducted an examination of the animal that is the patient. The act clarifies that the examination must be an in-person, physical examination. The act also extends the veterinarian-client-patient relationship to other licensed veterinarians who share the same physical premises as the veterinarian who established the relationship if the other veterinarians have access to and have reviewed the patient's medical records. The act allows a licensed veterinarian who has established a veterinarian-client-patient relationship to use telehealth to provide veterinary services to clients and patients in Colorado with the consent of the client. A licensed veterinarian may also refer a patient to a veterinary specialist, who may provide veterinary services via telemedicine under the referring veterinarian's veterinarian-client-patient relationship. The act authorizes the state board of veterinary medicine to establish rules for the use of telehealth to provide veterinary services. The act clarifies that only a licensed veterinarian with an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship may prescribe medication using telemedicine. The act allows a licensed veterinarian who has established a veterinarian-client-patient relationship to supervise a registered veterinary technician who is not located on the same premises using telesupervision if the veterinarian and the registered veterinary technician are employees of the same veterinary practice location, the veterinary professionals are licensed or registered in Colorado, and the patient is located in Colorado. The act establishes record-keeping, confidentiality, and privacy requirements related to the use of telehealth. APPROVED by Governor April 19, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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