A. The "New Mexico telehealth and health information technology commission" is created. The commission is administratively attached to the department of health, which shall work in conjunction with the New Mexico health policy commission, in accordance with the Executive Reorganization Act [9-1-1 to 9-1-10 NMSA 1978].

B. The commission shall consist of no more than twenty-five members with members, one-third of whom shall be from rural areas, chosen from the following categories, all of whom shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor:

(1) health care facilities;

(2) health care practitioners;

(3) health care workforce educators;

(4) telehealth technology experts;

(5) the telecommunications industry;

(6) the business community;

(7) health care insurance providers or other health care payers;

(8) the health information technology industry;

(9) Indian nations, tribes and pueblos;

(10) legislators;

(11) state agencies responsible for:

(a) telecommunications;

(b) public health;

(c) medicaid and social services;

(d) workforce development;

(e) children's health and social services;

(f) services for the elderly and persons with a disability;

(g) criminal justice;

(h) health policy and planning; and

(i) education; and

(12) other members as the governor may appoint to ensure appropriate cultural and geographic representation and the interests of the public.

C. The commission shall:

(1) identify how telehealth and health information technology can be used to increase access to care and implement state comprehensive health plans;

(2) identify barriers to telehealth and health information technology utilization and expansion, including payment, infrastructure, training and workforce availability;

(3) inventory the state's telehealth and health information technology assets, map available telecommunications infrastructure and examine the financial impact of failing to develop the state's telehealth and health information technology capacities;

(4) coordinate public and private sector initiatives to enhance networking, portal development and connectivity and to expand telehealth and health information technology and telecommunications capacity;

(5) establish subcommittees as the commission deems necessary to fulfill its purpose, powers and duties or to address specific telehealth and health information technology issues;

(6) identify specific actions to increase collaborative efforts and public-private partnerships to increase the use of telehealth and health information technology for health care access development, patient outcome improvement, patient and workforce education and health care practitioner recruitment and development;

(7) develop and disseminate specific telehealth and health information technology guidelines to ensure quality of care, positive health outcomes, appropriate use of technology and protection of privacy and confidentiality;

(8) review and comment on initiatives, projects or grant applications to ensure telehealth and health information technology guidelines are met and maximum collaboration and cooperation across the state is encouraged;

(9) meet at least once each quarter at the call of the chair or vice chair, who shall be designated by the governor from among the membership; and

(10) report annually to the governor and the legislature on the state of the telehealth and health information technology system and the adequacy and allocation of telehealth and health information technology services throughout the state, providing the governor and the legislature with specific recommendations for improving telehealth and health information technology and related service systems.

D. A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

History: Laws 2005, ch. 55, § 4; 2007, ch. 14, § 4; 2007, ch. 46, § 13.

Cross reference. — For the department of health, see 9-7-4 NMSA 1978.

For the New Mexico health policy commission, see 9-7-11.2 NMSA 1978.

2007 Multiple Amendments. — Laws 2007, ch. 14, § 4 and Laws 2007, ch. 46, § 13 enacted different amendments to this section that can be reconciled. Pursuant to 12-1-8 NMSA 1978, Laws 2007, ch. 46, § 13, as the last act signed by the governor, is set out above and incorporates both amendments. The amendments enacted by Laws 2007, ch. 14, § 4 and Laws 2007, ch. 46, § 13 are described below. To view the session laws in their entirety, see the 2007 session laws on NMOneSource.com.

Laws 2007, ch. 46, § 13, effective June 15, 2007, made non-substantive language changes.

Laws 2007, ch. 14, § 4, effective June 15, 2007, changed the name of the "telehealth commission" to the "telehealth and health information technology commission" in Subsection A; added Paragraph (8) of Subsection B to include a member from the health information technology industry; added "and health information technology" in Paragraphs (1) through (6) and (10) of Subsection C; and changed "standards and" to "and health information technology" in Paragraphs (7) and (8) of Subsection C.