STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1339

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1674

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1674, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to exempt certain telemedicine services provided by out-of-State radiologists from state licensing laws for both medicine and surgery and radiologic technology.

Specifically, this measure authorizes radiologists who are physically present in the State but are licensed to practice medicine in another state to use telemedicine to provide radiology services to patients located in the state in which the radiologists are licensed.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Health, the Board of Medical Examiners, Virtual Radiologic Corporation, and the Maui Economic Development Board.  Testimony in opposition was received from the Hawaii Medical Association.

     Your Committee finds that this measure clarifies existing law by recognizing that the practice of medicine occurs where the patient, not the physician, is physically located.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1674, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1674, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair