A temporary injunction issued in a federal court in Texas Friday will permit providers to continue offering consultative services to patients via telemedicine, according to a Texas Tribune report.
Telemedicine provider Teladoc and the Texas Medical Board have been tangled in a legal battle, as the Texas Medical Board earlier this year adopted a rule prohibiting physicians from issuing prescriptions for patients after a telemedicine consultation, requiring instead an in-person evaluation.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued the temporary injunction against the Texas Medical Board's rule, which was scheduled to take effect June 3.
According to the Texas Tribune report, Judge Pitman's ruling draws on the physician shortage in Texas, saying that the lack of physicians in the state, and particularly in rural areas, supports Teladoc's claims that the Texas Medical Board's ruling was anti-competitive.
"Elimination of physicians providing healthcare would thus negatively impact not just the competitor physicians, but consumers, a classic anti-trust injury," Judge Pitman wrote, according to the report.
Teladoc CEO Jason Gorevic said in a statement that the temporary injunction is beneficial for all Texans. Telehealth provides solutions in the face of physician shortages and healthcare costs, according to the report.
Tom Garcia, president of the Texas Medical Association, which supports the Texas Medical Board's rules, said he was "sorely disappointed" with the decision and that the Texas Medical Board's responsibilities are to protect patient health and safety and improve care quality, which are supported by the rules.
The lawsuit is ongoing.
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