Culver City, CA, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eWellness Healthcare Corporation – (OTCQB: EWLL) – is the first physical therapy telehealth company to offer insurance reimbursable real-time distance monitored treatments, is pleased to announce that according to the National Law Review, “On April 29, 2019, the Florida State Legislature passed HB 23, a law providing additional guidelines on the use of telehealth in the Sunshine State. The bill is now on its way to Governor DeSantis’ desk where he is expected to sign it into law. The law cements the validity of telehealth services in Florida, establishes new telehealth practice standards, creates a registration process for out-of-state health care professionals to use telehealth to deliver health care services to Florida patients, with an effective date of January 1, 2020.”
“Passage of the bill is due to the outstanding efforts of the Florida telehealth community, including the Florida Telehealth Advisory Council and its dedicated members. The 13-member Council held public meetings throughout 2017, conducted a research survey of Florida health plans, facilities, and providers, and ultimately completed a comprehensive report with recommendations to the Legislature for a telehealth bill. The bill creates a new section in the Florida statutes (Section 456.47, F.S.) which takes effect July 1, 2019. The essential provisions are summarized and explained below:
Key Definitions:
- Telehealth is defined as the use of synchronous or asynchronous telecommunications technology by a telehealth provider to provide health care services, including, but not limited to, assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, and monitoring of a patient; transfer of medical data; patient and professional health-related education; public health services; and health administration. Telehealth does not include audio-only telephone calls, e-mail messages, or fax transmissions.
- Telehealth Provider is broadly defined as an individual who provides a health care service using telehealth, which includes, but is not limited to, a licensed physician, podiatrist, optometrist, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, dentist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, midwife, speech language pathologist, audiologist, occupational therapist, radiological personnel, respiratory therapist, dietician, athletic trainer, orthotist, pedorthist, prosthetist, electrologist, massage therapist, medical physicist, optician, hearing aid specialist, physical therapist, psychologist, clinical social worker, mental health counselor, psychotherapist, marriage and family therapist, behavior analyst, basic or advanced life support service, or air ambulance service. Telehealth provider also includes an individual licensed under a multi-state health care licensure compact of which Florida is a member state or an individual who obtains an out-of-state telehealth registration
Practice Standards:
- Standard of Care. The new law makes it clear that a telehealth provider has the duty to practice in a manner consistent with his or her scope of practice and the prevailing professional standard of practice for a health care professional who provides in-person health care services to Florida patients.
- Telehealth Exams. A telehealth provider may use telehealth to perform a patient evaluation. If a telehealth provider conducts a patient evaluation sufficient to diagnose and treat the patient, the telehealth provider is not required to research a patient’s medical history or conduct a physical examination before using telehealth to provide health care services.
Out of State Registration and Licensure Exceptions
- Out-of-State Registration. The new law authorizes out-of-state health care professionals, without a Florida license, to use telehealth to deliver health care services to Florida patients if they register with the Department of Health or the applicable board, meet certain eligibility requirements, and pay a fee. To obtain an out-of-state registration the health care professional must:
- Complete an application;
- Maintain an active, unencumbered license issued by another state that is substantially similar to the corresponding Florida license;
- Not have been the subject of disciplinary action relating to his or her license for the previous 5 years;
- Designate a registered agent for service of process in Florida;
- Maintain professional liability coverage, that includes coverage for telehealth services to patients in Florida, in amounts equal to or greater than what are required for a Florida-licensed practitioner;
- Not open an office in Florida or provide in-person health care services to patients located in Florida.
- Only use a Florida-licensed pharmacy or a registered nonresident pharmacy or outsourcing facility to dispense medicinal drugs to patients located in Florida. (Pharmacists only)”
PHZIO Platform
Our PHZIO platform has been developed to significantly support us in becoming the leader in the new industry of digital telehealth physical therapy (“dPT”). Our focus is to highlight that a majority of all future PT treatments can be accomplished with a smart phone. This new digital adoption will lower patient treatment costs, expand patient treatment access and improve patient compliance. Our PHZIO platform allows patients and PT’s to cut the cord from the old-school, wait in line, brick and mortar clinical experience to an immediate response digital, in-home PT experience. 80% of all PT assessments and treatments can now be done on a patient’s smart phone in the privacy of their own home. Digital PT is clearly the next upgrade the industry needs to make.
About eWellness
eWellness Healthcare Corporation (OTCQB: EWLL) is the first physical therapy telehealth company to offer insurance reimbursable real-time distance monitored treatments. Our business model is to license our PHZIO (“PHZIO”) platform to any physical therapy (“PT”) clinic in the U.S. and or have large-scale employers use our PHZIO platform as a fully PT monitored corporate wellness program. The Company’s PHZIO home physical therapy exercise platform has been designed to disrupt the $30 billion physical therapy and the $8 billion corporate wellness industries. PHZIO re-defines the way physical therapy can be delivered. PHZIO is the first real-time remote monitored 1-to-many physical therapy platform for home use. Due to the real-time patient monitoring feature, the PHZIO platform is insurance reimbursable.
For more information on eWellness go to:
http://www.ewellnesshealth.com/
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release includes certain information that may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by terminology such as “could,” “may,” “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “proposed,” “planned,” “potential” and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements about eWellness’ beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although eWellness believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. eWellness cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Accordingly, due to the risks, uncertainties and assumptions inherent in forward-looking information, readers and prospective investors in the Company’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof and is subject to change. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update forward-looking information to reflect new circumstances, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
For additional information on eWellness Healthcare Corporation and its PHZIO telemedicine products please contact Mr. Darwin Fogt, CEO: 1-855-470-1700.