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DPH outlines Connecticut telehealth rules, limits on remote prescribing
Summary
At a state medical licensing board meeting, Chris Andre of the Department of Public Health summarized Connecticut’s telehealth statute (Conn. Gen. Stat. §19a-906), saying telehealth excludes texting and email, the standard of care remains the same as in-person care, and prescribing controlled substances over telehealth is limited by federal and state rules.
Chris Andre, chief of practitioner licensing and investigations at the Department of Public Health, told the board on April 14 that Connecticut’s telehealth law (Conn. Gen. Stat. §19a-906) defines telehealth broadly but explicitly excludes fax, text messaging and ordinary email as telehealth.
"Telehealth includes synchronous and asynchronous interactions and remote patient monitoring," Andre said, adding that telephone-only care was narrowed after the acute phase of the COVID-19 public health emergency but that real‑time communication and store‑and‑forward transfers are squarely within the statute.
Andre told the board the standard of care does not change because a visit occurs remotely: "What someone practices through telehealth needs to be within their scope of practice and adhere to the standard of care," he said. He said complaints the department receives are generally about alleged departures from the standard of care, not telehealth itself, and that the department typically proceeds after a complaint is filed.
On prescribing, Andre said prescribers must hold an active federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration and any state permits required by the Department of Consumer Protection. He said providers may prescribe some schedule II or III controlled substances via telehealth only under conditions tied to federal law and patient diagnoses; the federal Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act and related rules limit online prescribing of certain opioids and establish safeguards for controlled‑substance prescribing.
Board members pressed for details about specific drugs. "Would this statute prohibit the prescribing of ketamine over telehealth?" asked Dr. Zean. Andre said he did not know the federal scheduling details for every medication but reiterated that non‑opioid schedule II and III drugs may be prescribed consistent with federal protections and state rules. Board members also discussed buprenorphine (Suboxone); one member said recent DEA telemedicine flexibilities have allowed remote initiation of buprenorphine through 2026.
Members asked how practitioners learn these rules. Andre said DPH publishes the statutes but does not currently provide routine telehealth guidance or a mandatory license‑renewal checkbox informing clinicians about telehealth law; he encouraged professional societies and licensing entities to help distribute updates. He also clarified that out‑of‑state clinicians must hold Connecticut licenses to treat Connecticut patients remotely; the department’s enforcement options against unlicensed out‑of‑state practitioners are limited to cease‑and‑desist orders.
Why it matters: The presentation framed the board’s future oversight work and underlined limits on remote prescribing and the centrality of standard‑of‑care reviews in DPH enforcement. Board members repeatedly urged clearer communication from DPH and professional organizations to ensure clinicians know the telehealth rules.
What’s next: Andre said DPH will return with additional short orientation segments explaining how cases move through the department to the board and how consent orders and memoranda of decision are produced.
