(a) For purposes of Kansas telemedicine act:

(1) “Distant site” means a site at which a healthcare provider is located while providing healthcare services by means of telemedicine.

(2) “Healthcare provider” means a physician, licensed physician assistant, licensed advanced practice registered nurse or person licensed, registered, certified or otherwise authorized to practice by the behavioral sciences regulatory board.

(3) “Originating site” means a site at which a patient is located at the time healthcare services are provided by means of telemedicine.

(4) “Physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery by the state board of healing arts.

(5) “Telemedicine,” including “telehealth,” means the delivery of healthcare services or consultations while the patient is at an originating site and the healthcare provider is at a distant site. Telemedicine shall be provided by means of real-time two-way interactive audio, visual, or audio-visual communications, including the application of secure video conferencing or store-and-forward technology to provide or support healthcare delivery, that facilitate the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education and care management of a patient’s healthcare. “Telemedicine” does not include communication between:

(A) Healthcare providers that consist solely of a telephone voice-only conversation, email or facsimile transmission; or

(B) a physician and a patient that consists solely of an email or facsimile transmission.

(b) This section shall take effect on and after January 1, 2019.