Colorado § 12-315-301 - Definitions - rules.

§ 12-315-301. Definitions - rules.

As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Tele-advice" means the provision of any health information, opinion, or guidance by a veterinary professional that is not intended to diagnose, treat, or issue prognoses of an animal's, or group of animals', physical or behavioral illness or injury. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not required to provide tele-advice.

(2) "Teleconsulting" means a veterinarian who communicates with a veterinary specialist or other qualified expert using telecommunications technology to gain insight or advice regarding the care of a patient.

(3) "Tele-education" means the use of information and telecommunications technology for distance learning.

(4) (a) "Telehealth" means the use of telecommunications technology to provide veterinary services or to collect and deliver veterinary health information or education virtually and can encompass general veterinary services or patient-specific veterinary services.

(b) "Telehealth" may include tele-advice, teleconsulting, tele-education, telemedicine, telemonitoring, telereferral, telesupervision, teletriage, and other tools that help veterinary professionals deliver veterinary education and services virtually.

(5) "Telemedicine" means the remote practice of veterinary medicine through the use of telecommunications technology that allows a licensed veterinarian with an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship to evaluate, diagnose, and treat a patient virtually.

(6) "Telemonitoring" means the use of telecommunications technology to augment veterinary services by collecting and delivering health information from a patient.

(7) "Telereferral" means a veterinarian with an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship who refers the client to a veterinary specialist to provide veterinary services using telecommunications technology under the established veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

(8) "Telesupervision" means the supervision of individuals providing veterinary services using media such as audio, audio-visual conferencing, text messaging, email, or other virtual or digital technologies.

(9) "Teletriage" means the safe, appropriate, and timely assessment of an animal, or a group of animals, under conditions of uncertainty and urgency, and the possible referral to a licensed veterinarian, after discussion with the individual responsible for the animal or group of animals, using telecommunications technology. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not required for such an assessment or referral. "Teletriage" does not include the rendering of a diagnosis but may include the provision of tele-advice.

(10) "Veterinary specialist" means a veterinarian who is formally recognized as a specialist from a specialty organization that is recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association's American Board of Veterinary Specialties, or its successor organization, or another association that recognizes veterinary specialists that the state board of veterinary medicine has approved by rule.

Source: L. 2024: Entire part added, (HB 24-1048), ch. 110, p. 342, § 3, effective August 7.