The Pennsylvania Senate on Oct. 26 approved legislation that promotes telemedicine as a way to overcome barriers to quality patient care created by distance and reduce the costs of those services, according to the bill’s prime sponsor.

Telemedicine is a rapidly growing component of health care, and many health care professionals and hospitals in Pennsylvania are already providing services via telemedicine. However, currently none of the health care professionals’ licensure acts explicitly authorize or regulate practice via telemedicine.