A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the use of veterinary telehealth.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill modifies certain laws related to the practice of veterinary telehealth. Under current law, in order to practice veterinary telehealth in Colorado, a licensed veterinarian must establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) through an in-person, physical examination of the animal (patient) or by a medically appropriate and timely visit to the premises where the animal is kept.
The bill allows a veterinarian to establish a VCPR through telehealth. An in-person, physical examination of the patient or visit to the premises is not necessary, and the veterinarian may establish the VCPR through an electronic examination using synchronous audio-video based communication technology.
The bill clarifies the definition of "telehealth" and changes references throughout current law from "telemedicine" to "telehealth".
Under current law, a licensed veterinarian is prohibited from prescribing drugs to a patient through telehealth unless the veterinarian has conducted an in-person, physical examination of the patient. The bill removes that requirement and permits a veterinarian to prescribe drugs to a patient through telehealth as long as the veterinarian has established a VCPR and follows certain requirements. However, the bill still requires an in-person, physical examination of the patient in order to prescribe the patient a controlled substance or an antimicrobial for longer than 14 days.
The bill removes the requirement under current law that a veterinarian who uses telehealth be available in person at a veterinary premises that is accessible to the client and patient for follow-up evaluations. The bill also repeals a provision in current law that prohibits a veterinary specialist to whom a patient has been referred from prescribing medication to the patient unless that veterinary specialist has established a VCPR through an in-person, physical examination of the patient.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-315-104, amend (19)(a)(II) as follows:
Page 2, Line 312-315-104. Definitions. As used in this article 315, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 4(19) (a) "Veterinarian-client-patient relationship" means the relationship established when:
Page 2, Line 5(II) There is sufficient knowledge of an animal by the veterinarian
Page 2, Line 6to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical
Page 2, Line 7condition of the animal, which means that the veterinarian
has recentlyPage 2, Line 8
seen andPage 2, Line 9(A) An in-person, physical examination of the animal;
Page 3, Line 1(B) An electronic examination using a synchronous audio-video based communication technology; or
byPage 3, Line 2(C) A medically appropriate and timely
visitsPage 3, Line 3SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 12-315-301 as follows:
Page 3, Line 412-315-301. Definitions - rules. As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 3, Line 5
(1) "Tele-advice" means the provision of any health information,Page 3, Line 6
opinion, or guidance by a veterinary professional that is not intended toPage 3, Line 7
diagnose, treat, or issue prognoses of an animal's, or group of animals',Page 3, Line 8
physical or behavioral illness or injury. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not required to provide tele-advice.Page 3, Line 9
(2) "Teleconsulting" means a veterinarian who communicatesPage 3, Line 10
with a veterinary specialist or other qualified expert usingPage 3, Line 11
telecommunications technology to gain insight or advice regarding the care of a patient.Page 3, Line 12
(3) "Tele-education" means the use of information and telecommunications technology for distance learning.Page 3, Line 13
(4) (a)the use of telecommunicationsPage 3, Line 14
technology to provide veterinary services or to collect and deliverPage 3, Line 15
veterinary health information or education virtually and can encompassPage 3, Line 16
general veterinary services or patient-specific veterinary servicesPage 3, Line 17method of delivery of veterinary health-care services through
Page 3, Line 18telecommunication systems, including information, electronic,
Page 3, Line 19and communication technologies, to facilitate the assessment,
Page 3, Line 20diagnosis, or treatment of a patient while the patient is located at one site and the veterinarian is located at a different site.
Page 4, Line 1
(b) "Telehealth" may include tele-advice, teleconsulting,Page 4, Line 2
tele-education, telemedicine, telemonitoring, telereferral, telesupervision,Page 4, Line 3
teletriage, and other tools that help veterinary professionals deliver veterinary education and services virtually.Page 4, Line 4
(5) "Telemedicine" means the remote practice of veterinaryPage 4, Line 5
medicine through the use of telecommunications technology that allowsPage 4, Line 6
a licensed veterinarian with an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship to evaluate, diagnose, and treat a patient virtually.Page 4, Line 7
(6) "Telemonitoring" means the use of telecommunicationsPage 4, Line 8
technology to augment veterinary services by collecting and delivering health information from a patient.Page 4, Line 9
(7) "Telereferral" means a veterinarian with an establishedPage 4, Line 10
veterinarian-client-patient relationship who refers the client to aPage 4, Line 11
veterinary specialist to provide veterinary services usingPage 4, Line 12
telecommunications technology under the established veterinarian-client-patient relationship.Page 4, Line 13
(8) "Telesupervision" means the supervision of individualsPage 4, Line 14
providing veterinary services using media such as audio, audio-visualPage 4, Line 15
conferencing, text messaging, e-mail, or other virtual or digital technologies.Page 4, Line 16
(9) "Teletriage" means the safe, appropriate, and timelyPage 4, Line 17
assessment of an animal, or a group of animals, under conditions ofPage 4, Line 18
uncertainty and urgency, and the possible referral to a licensedPage 4, Line 19
veterinarian, after discussion with the individual responsible for thePage 4, Line 20
animal or group of animals, using telecommunications technology. APage 4, Line 21
veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not required for such anPage 5, Line 1
assessment or referral. "Teletriage" does not include the rendering of a diagnosis but may include the provision of tele-advice.Page 5, Line 2
(10)Page 5, Line 3formally recognized as a specialist from a specialty organization that is
Page 5, Line 4recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association's American
Page 5, Line 5Board of Veterinary Specialties, or its successor organization, or another
Page 5, Line 6association that recognizes veterinary specialists that the state board of veterinary medicine has approved by rule.
Page 5, Line 7SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-315-302, amend (2)(a) and (3) as follows:
Page 5, Line 812-315-302. Veterinarian-client-patient relationship -
Page 5, Line 9telehealth. (2) (a) A veterinarian-client-patient relationship must be established by:
Page 5, Line 10(I) An in-person, physical examination of the animal;
Page 5, Line 11(II) An electronic examination using a synchronous audio-video based communication technology; or
Page 5, Line 12(III) A medically appropriate and timely
visitsPage 5, Line 13(3) An established veterinarian-client-patient relationship may be
Page 5, Line 14maintained through examinations that occur using telecommunications
Page 5, Line 15technology.
in between appropriate in-person, physical examinations or visits to the premises where the patient is kept.Page 5, Line 16SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-315-303, amend (1), (2), and (4)(b)(II) as follows:
Page 5, Line 1712-315-303. Treatment of patients using telehealth - licensure
Page 5, Line 18- technology - consent. (1) (a)
A personPage 5, Line 19licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Colorado in order to practice
telemedicinePage 6, Line 1(b)
A personPage 6, Line 2Colorado and who uses
telemedicinePage 6, Line 3services to animals and individuals responsible for the animals engages
Page 6, Line 4in the unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine. Such
personPage 6, Line 5individual is subject to penalties for the unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine pursuant to section 12-315-114.
Page 6, Line 6(2) A licensed veterinarian shall employ sound, professional
Page 6, Line 7judgment when determining whether to provide veterinary services to a
Page 6, Line 8patient through
telemedicinetelemedicinePage 6, Line 9telehealth only when such use is medically appropriate based on the patient's condition.
Page 6, Line 10(4) (b) A veterinary professional using telehealth to provide
Page 6, Line 11veterinary services shall inform the client, or the client's authorized representative, of:
Page 6, Line 12(II) Whether, in the veterinarian's professional opinion, the
Page 6, Line 13patient's condition can be accurately diagnosed or treated using
telemedicinePage 6, Line 14SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 12-315-305 as follows:
Page 6, Line 1512-315-305. Prescribing medication through telehealth.
Page 6, Line 16(1) (a) Except as provided in
subsection (3)Page 6, Line 17(1)(c) of this section,
only a licensed veterinarian with an establishedPage 6, Line 18
veterinarian-client-patient relationship may prescribe medication throughPage 6, Line 19
telemedicinePage 6, Line 20prescribe, or make available a prescription drug in accordance
Page 6, Line 21with all applicable state and federal laws.
Page 7, Line 1(b) A licensed veterinarian using telehealth shall
usePage 7, Line 2
professional judgment when determining if it is appropriate to prescribePage 7, Line 3
medication through telemedicinePage 7, Line 4available a prescription drug that is a controlled substance, as
Page 7, Line 5defined in section 18-18-102 (5), unless the veterinarian has
Page 7, Line 6previously performed an in-person, physical examination of the
Page 7, Line 7patient or made medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the patient is kept.
Page 7, Line 8(c) A licensed veterinarian using telehealth shall not
Page 7, Line 9order, prescribe, or make available a prescription drug that is
Page 7, Line 10an antimicrobial drug for a period longer than fourteen days of
Page 7, Line 11treatment. The veterinarian shall not issue any additional
Page 7, Line 12antimicrobial drug prescription, including a refill, unless the
Page 7, Line 13veterinarian has conducted an in-person, physical examination of the patient.
Page 7, Line 14(2) A licensed veterinarian who prescribes medication through
Page 7, Line 15
telemedicinePage 7, Line 16(3) In accordance with section 12-315-105 (2)(b) relating to
Page 7, Line 17emergency veterinary situations, a licensed veterinarian who does
Page 7, Line 18not have an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship with an
Page 7, Line 19animal and its owner may use
telemedicinePage 7, Line 20distribute, or dispense a prescription drug that has been prescribed by
Page 7, Line 21another licensed veterinarian who has an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
Page 7, Line 22SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-315-306, repeal
Page 7, Line 23(4) as follows:
Page 8, Line 112-315-306. Referrals. (4)
(a) A veterinary specialist to whomPage 8, Line 2
a patient is referred shall not prescribe medications to the patient unlessPage 8, Line 3
the veterinary specialist establishes a veterinarian-client-patient relationship through an in-person, physical examination of the patient.Page 8, Line 4
(b) The licensed veterinarian with the establishedPage 8, Line 5
veterinarian-client-patient relationship may prescribe medications to thePage 8, Line 6
patient after consultation with the veterinary specialist to whom the patient was referred.Page 8, Line 7SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-315-307, amend (1) and (2) introductory portion as follows:
Page 8, Line 812-315-307. Supervision using telehealth - rules. (1) A licensed
Page 8, Line 9veterinarian may,
provide,telesupervisionPage 8, Line 10
oftechniciansPage 8, Line 11technician for tasks that do not require direct or immediate supervision, pursuant to board rules.
Page 8, Line 12(2) A supervising licensed veterinarian who has an established
Page 8, Line 13veterinarian-client-patient relationship may use
telesupervisionPage 8, Line 14telehealth to supervise registered veterinary technicians who are not located on the same premises as the supervising veterinarian if:
Page 8, Line 15SECTION 8. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 12-315-308 as follows:
Page 8, Line 1612-315-308. Emergency care - continuity of care.
(1) APage 8, Line 17
licensed veterinarian who practices veterinary medicine throughPage 8, Line 18
telemedicine shall be available in person at a veterinary premises that isPage 8, Line 19
accessible to the client and patient or shall arrange for another licensedPage 8, Line 20
veterinarian in Colorado to be at a veterinary premises that is accessiblePage 8, Line 21
to the client and patient in case of an emergency or for necessary follow-up evaluations.Page 9, Line 1
(2)thePage 9, Line 2for emergency or follow-up care when providing veterinary services through
telemedicinePage 9, Line 3SECTION 9. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 9, Line 4takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 9, Line 5ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 9, Line 6that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 9, Line 7of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 9, Line 8act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 9, Line 9effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 9, Line 10November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.