Florida Aims to Update Regulations for Veterinary Telehealth
- Dr. Zeke Zekoff
- May 3
- 2 min read
The Florida Senate is considering legislation (SB 1040) to officially define and regulate the practice of veterinary telehealth in the state. This bill seeks to integrate telehealth into veterinary practices, providing a framework for veterinarians to offer remote care while ensuring responsible and ethical service delivery.
Key Components of the Bill
Definition of Veterinary Telehealth: The bill defines "veterinary telehealth" as the use of telecommunications technology to provide health care services, including assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, and monitoring of patients.
Authorization and Jurisdiction: Licensed veterinarians in Florida would be authorized to practice veterinary telehealth. The Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine would have jurisdiction over veterinarians practicing telehealth, regardless of the veterinarian's physical location; the practice of veterinary medicine is considered to occur where the veterinarian, the patient, or both are located during the telehealth service.
Requirements for Telehealth Practice:
A veterinarian/client/patient relationship is required for veterinary telehealth.
Veterinarians must adhere to the same standard of care as in-person services and use sound professional judgment in determining if telehealth is appropriate.
Initial patient evaluations to establish the veterinarian/client/patient relationship can be conducted via synchronous, audiovisual communication but not through audio-only communication, text messaging, questionnaires, chatbots, or similar methods.
If a veterinarian diagnoses and treats a patient using telehealth, they are not required to research the patient's medical history or conduct a physical examination before providing telehealth services.
Veterinarians must provide clients with specific information, including their name, license number, contact information, and instructions for follow-up care.
Informed consent must be obtained from the client before practicing veterinary telehealth.
Prescribing Regulations:
Veterinarians can order, prescribe, or make available medicinal drugs approved for animal use by the FDA, following approved labeling.
Prescriptions based solely on a telehealth evaluation are limited to 1-month supplies for flea and tick control products and up to 14 days of treatment for other animal drugs, and cannot be renewed without an in-person examination.
Veterinarians cannot prescribe drugs approved for human use or compounded antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, or antiparasitic medications without an in-person physical examination or medically appropriate and timely visits to the animal's premises.
Controlled substances cannot be prescribed via telehealth without an in-person physical examination or medically appropriate and timely visits within the past year to the animal's premises.
Telehealth cannot be used to prescribe drugs for horses engaged in racing or training under the jurisdiction of the Florida Gaming Control Commission or covered by the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act.
Additional Requirements: Veterinarians using telehealth must be familiar with nearby veterinary resources, keep and maintain patient records, and are prohibited from issuing international or interstate travel certificates or certificates of veterinary inspection via telehealth.
Food-Producing Animals: Specific provisions are included for veterinarians acquainted with the care of food-producing animals on agricultural land, allowing them to practice telehealth under certain conditions.
This bill aims to modernize veterinary practices in Florida by integrating telehealth, offering greater flexibility in animal care while maintaining standards for patient health and safety.
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