21 NCAC 66 .0211             VETERINARY TELEMEDICINE

(a)  "Veterinary telemedicine" or "telemedicine" means the use of electronic or telecommunication technologies to remotely provide medical information regarding a patient's clinical health status and to deliver veterinary medical services to a patient that resides in or is located in the State. The delivery of veterinary medical services through telemedicine is the practice of veterinary medicine.

(b)  A veterinarian may provide veterinary medical services via telemedicine to a patient only after establishing a Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR). No person shall practice veterinary telemedicine except a veterinarian within the context of a VCPR. A VCPR cannot be established by any electronic means or telecommunication technologies.

(c)  "Veterinary telemonitoring" occurs when any person, licensed or unlicensed, utilizes a medical device, smart phone, monitoring sensor, or other technology, in combination with an Internet connection, to collect and store health information for a patient of the veterinarian and to transmit it to a veterinarian, as directed or requested by a veterinarian.

(d)  "Veterinary Teleconsulting" occurs when any person, licensed or unlicensed, whose expertise the veterinarian believes would benefit the veterinarian's patient, provides advice or other information by any method of communication to a veterinarian at the veterinarian's direction or request.

(e)  Veterinarians practicing telemedicine shall be held to the same standard of care as veterinarians providing in-person medical care. Veterinarians shall use their professional judgement to determine whether telemedicine is appropriate and in the best interest of the patient. Veterinarians shall maintain a medical record of the telemedicine patient(s) as required by 21 NCAC 66 .0207(b)(12).

History Note:        G.S. 90-186(10);

Eff. September 1, 2021.