Miscellaneous

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the practice of  telemedicine  performed by a surgeon or osteologist outside the jurisdiction due to a medical emergency. [Provided,] that the term medical emergency shall be that determined by the surgeon or osteologist, and shall be understood as the practice that occurs only once per patient and involves a maximum of ten (10) patients on an annual basis.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to a surgeon or osteologist who performs an irregular  telemedicine practice  without receiving compensation or remuneration of any kind, nor to occasional consultations that any surgeon or osteologist may make with a colleague outside the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where there is no direct relationship between the surgeon or osteologist who practices in that other jurisdiction and the patient. An irregular practice shall not be understood as one developed or exercised in accordance with any contractual relationship.

SOURCE:   20 LPRA Section 6007 (Accessed May 2025).

The Telemedicine Committee is hereby created, attached to the Department of Health,   composed of eleven (11) persons, appointed by the Secretary of Health. The Committee shall have representation from hospital institutions, insurance companies, participating physicians, and the Examining Board, among others. The Committee’s main function shall be to define the services to be reimbursed through  telemedicine , the methods for reimbursement of services rendered, the financing mechanisms for  telemedicine , incentives, medical-legal aspects and definitions of any operational standards, among others. The Committee shall submit monthly reports to the Secretary of Health and a final report six (6) months after its constitution with its recommendations, including possible legislation to be presented. Nothing established in this section shall affect the development and implementation of the  Telemedicine Pilot Program  of the Departments of Economic Development and Commerce and Health.

SOURCE:   20 LPRA Section 6010 . (Accessed May 2025).

The issuance of a certification to any physician or health professional covered by this chapter means that he or she is subject to the jurisdiction of Puerto Rico and the Licensing Board or the Board of Examiners or Governing Body, as the case may be, and any legislation or regulation related to these shall be applicable to him or her, and he or she shall be subject to any disciplinary sanction that may be imposed. It shall be understood that the holding of a certification pursuant to this chapter subjects such physician or health professional to the jurisdiction of the Courts of Puerto Rico. Any physician or health professional to whom a certification is issued under the provisions of this chapter is understood to agree to produce any medical record or any material or report as requested by the Licensing Board or the Boards of Examiners or Governing Body, as the case may be.

SOURCE:   20 LPRA Section 6011(g). (Accessed May 2025).

Each examination board attached to the Office of Regulation and Certification of Health Professionals Health (ORCPS) of the Department of Health, within the specialties regulated by Law No. 48-2020, must adopt those standards that they consider essential for the good practice of the profession when offering services through Cybertherapy. Since the approval of the same, every applicant must meet the requirements taxes by each board to obtain certification authorized by Law No. 48-2020, including requirements for continuing education, among others. The present body of standards will not be applicable to the Social Work professionals in Puerto Rico. It recognizes the faculty of the Examination Board of Labor Professionals Social, attached to the Department of State of Puerto Rico, establish the standards that regulate this profession, including licensing, continuing education, among other requirements applicable to these professionals, under Law No. 171 of May 11, 1940, as amended.

SOURCE: Department of Health, Regulations to Regulate Cybertherapy in Puerto Rico, Number 9517 (Dec. 2023), Article 1, Section 51.5  (Accessed May 2025).

The Certification issued by the Board will authorize the professional to make your queries remotely using means technological, such as: telephones, video calls, applications or any other technological tool scope. The Certification also authorizes consultations outside of the geographical limits of Puerto Rico, but within the jurisdiction of the United States, provided that the professional meets the requirements established in the state or jurisdiction in which the patient is located at the time of the consultation.

The Certification for the practice of Cybertherapy will have validity of three (3) years. All renewal requests must comply with the requirements established in Section 2.2 of this regulation/as well as with the rules or regulations established for each meeting.

Every Licensed Professional who has the Certification for the use of Telehealth in Puerto Rico, and wish to renew it, must complete a minimum of four (4) credit hours in continuing education courses accredited by the Board, during the period corresponding to each triennium of recertification. (See regulations for more detail).

SOURCE: Department of Health, Regulations to Regulate Cybertherapy in Puerto Rico, Number 9517 (Dec. 2023), Article 2, Section 2.3 & 2.5, Article 4, Section 4.1 &  Department of Health, Regulations for the Use of Telehealth in Puerto Rico, Number 9518 (Dec. 1, 2023), Article 2, Section 2.3 & 2.5, Article 4, Section 4.1.  (Accessed May 2025).

Due to the complexity of adopting and implementing a procedure for certification of thousands of healthcare and social work professionals, and to ensure the continuity of services for those receiving services through Telehealth and Cybertherapy, the Secretary of Health has determined that is necessary to extend the authorization granted by OA-596-2024 until December 31, 2025.

SOURCE: Departmneto de Salude, Orden Administrative Num 604. (Mar. 17, 2025).  (Accessed May 2025).