§ 5-37-16.2. Exceptions to licensure requirement.
(a) A physician who is licensed to practice medicine in another state or states, but not in this state, and who is in good standing in such state or states, may exercise the privilege to practice medicine for a patient located in this state under the following circumstances only:
(1) The physician is employed by a branch of the United States military, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans’ Affairs Division of Veterans’ Health Administration, or similar federal entity.
(2) The physician is present in the state on a singular occasion as a member of an air ambulance treatment team or organ harvesting team.
(3) The physician, whether or not physically present in this state, is being consulted on a singular occasion by a physician licensed in this state, or is providing teaching assistance in a medical capacity, for a period not to exceed seven (7) days. Under no circumstance may a physician who is not present in this state provide consultation to a patient in this state who does not have a physician-patient relationship with that physician unless that patient is in the physical presence of a physician licensed in this state.
(4) The physician is present in the state for a period not to exceed seven (7) days as a volunteer physician serving in a noncompensated role for a charitable function.
(5) The physician is present in this state while providing medical services to a sports team incorporated in the United States or another country provided that:
(i) The physician has a written agreement with that sports team to provide care to team members, coaching staff, and families traveling with the team for a specific sporting event or preseason training camp occurring in this state.
(ii) The physician may not provide care or consultation to any person residing in this state other than those enumerated in subsection (a) or under the conditions permitted in subsection (b).
(iii) The physician shall be permitted to provide care and consultation to those in subsection (a) for no longer than seven (7) consecutive days per sporting event.
(iv) The physician is not authorized to practice at a healthcare facility or clinic, acute-care facility, or urgent-care center; but nothing herein shall prevent the physician from accompanying a person enumerated in subsection (a) to such a facility or from providing consultation to a physician licensed in Rhode Island in regard to such person.
(v) If the physician is licensed in another country, he or she must obtain prior written permission from the director, or his or her designee, to be permitted to provide care and consultation to those in subsection (a).
(b) If a physician licensed in this state obtains prior written permission from the director, or his or her designee, the physician who is not licensed in this state but is practicing under subsections (a)(3) — (a)(5), may be permitted to extend his or her authorization to practice medicine for more than seven (7) consecutive days if the requesting physician shows good cause for the extension, but for no more than a total of thirty (30) days in any one year.
(c) A physician practicing under subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4) shall inform the board, in writing, of his or her intent to practice prior to, or as soon as practicable, but no later than seven (7) days after, the consultation.
(d) The director shall send by certified mail to a physician not licensed in this state a written order that revokes the privilege to practice medicine under this section if the director finds good cause to do so. If no current address can be determined, such order may be sent by regular mail to the physician’s last known address.
(e) Any person who is found to have violated any provisions of this section shall be subject to § 5-37-12 regarding the unauthorized practice of medicine.
History of Section.
P.L. 2014, ch. 190, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 213, § 1.