Telemedicine: A Therapeutic Prescription for Our Healthcare System Contaminated by Old Economy Rules and Regulations

As technology has evolved over the past few decades, the power of the Internet has transformed how consumers purchase goods and services. The medical profession, though, has been slow to adapt to this changing marketplace. Telemedicine has the ability to change the future of medicine by providing quality, cost-effective care. However, the state medical boards impose an array of restrictions on the ability of physicians to practice telemedicine. Regulations that prohibit the expansion of telemedicine must be changed. The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas took a first step in allowing this expansion by granting a preliminary injunction of a Texas law mandating in-person consultation before a physician can practice telemedicine.