In telemedicine practice, licensure must generally be obtained in which jurisdiction?

• A. Licensure in the patient’s jurisdiction.
• B. Licensure only in the clinician’s home state, regardless of patient location.
• C. Telemedicine requires no licensure if it is time-limited.
• D. One license covers all states automatically.

Answer: (A)

Licensure for telemedicine is tied to the patient’s location during the encounter. The physician must be licensed in the state where the patient is located to legally diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice there because state medical boards regulate the practice of medicine within their borders. This ensures that the provider meets that state's standards of care, scope of practice, and patient safety rules, and that the appropriate malpractice and disciplinary frameworks apply.

While some clinicians pursue additional licenses in other states or participate in compacts that streamline multi-state eligibility, there is no universal license that automatically covers all states. Hence, practicing telemedicine typically requires licensure in the patient’s jurisdiction; relying solely on a home-state license or assuming no licensure is needed because the session is short would generally be noncompliant with standard regulatory requirements.