Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following
words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following
meanings.
(1)Client--A consumer or proposed consumer of speech-language
pathology or audiology services.
(2)Client site--The physical location of the client
at the time the services are being furnished via telecommunications.
(3)Consultant--Any professional who collaborates
with a provider of telehealth services to provide services to clients.
(4)Facilitator--The individual at the client site
who assists with the delivery of the telehealth services at the direction
of the provider [audiologist or speech-language pathologist
].
(5)Provider--An individual who holds a current, renewable,
unrestricted speech-language pathology or audiology license under
Texas Occupations Code §401.302 and §401.304; [or]
an individual who holds a speech-language pathology intern or an
audiology intern license under Texas Occupations Code §401.311;
or an individual who holds a speech-language pathology assistant license
under Texas Occupations Code §401.312.
(6)Provider site--The physical location at which
the provider [speech-language pathologist or audiologist]
delivering the services is located at the time the services are provided
via telecommunications which is distant or remote from the client
site.
(7)Telecommunications--Interactive communication
at a distance by concurrent two-way transmission, using telecommunications
technology, of information, including, without limitation, sound,
visual images, and/or computer data, between the client site and the
provider site, and required to occur without a change in the form
or content of the information, as sent and received, other than through
encoding or encryption of the transmission itself for purposes of
and to protect the transmission.
(8)Telecommunications technology--Computers,
smart phones, and equipment, other than analog telephone,
email or facsimile technology and equipment, used or capable of use
for purposes of telecommunications. For purposes of this subchapter,
the term includes, without limitation:
(A)compressed digital interactive video, audio, or
data transmission;
(B)clinical data transmission using computer imaging
by way of still-image capture and storage and forward; [and]
(C)smart phones, or any audio-visual,
real-time, or two-way interactive communication system; and
(D)[(C)] other technology that
facilitates the delivery of telehealth [telepractice]
services.
(9)Telehealth--The use of telecommunications and
information technologies for the exchange of information from one
site to another for the provision of speech-language pathology or
audiology services to a client from a provider.
(10)Telehealth services--The application of telecommunication
technology to deliver speech-language pathology and/or audiology services
at a distance for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation.
[(11)Telepractice--The use of telecommunications
technology by a license holder for an assessment, intervention, or
consultation regarding a speech-language pathology or audiology client.]
[(12)Telepractice services--The
rendering of audiology and/or speech-language pathology services through
telepractice to a client who is physically located at a site other
than the site where the provider is located.]
The agency certifies that legal counsel has reviewed
the emergency adoption and found it to be within the state agency's
legal authority to adopt.
Filed
with the Office of the Secretary of State on August 16, 2021
TRD-202103209 Brad Bowman
General Counsel
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Effective date: September 1, 2021
Expiration date: December 29, 2021
For further information, please call: (512) 475-4879
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