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HB1770 • 2026

Health Care

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9, relative to the practice of medicine.

Healthcare Technology
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Martin B, Haile
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
Comp. SB subst.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the new terms will be regulated or specify which nonclinical tasks are exempt from being considered practicing medicine.

Expanding Definitions for Medical Practice in Tennessee

This bill updates Tennessee's laws to include new terms that can be used by medical professionals and clarifies what activities are considered practicing medicine without a license.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds 'clinical informatics', 'lifestyle medicine', and 'medical virtualist' to the list of titles or descriptions that indicate someone is a licensed medical professional in Tennessee.
  • Clarifies that determining whether a treatment or procedure is appropriate for a patient's condition is considered practicing medicine, which requires a license.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Medical professionals who use the new terms in their job titles.
  • People who determine whether medical treatments or procedures are appropriate for patients' conditions.

Terms To Know

clinical informatics
The practice of using information technology to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
lifestyle medicine
A medical approach that focuses on lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and stress management to prevent or treat diseases.
medical virtualist
A doctor who provides care remotely through technology such as video calls.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how these new terms will be regulated.
  • It is unclear what specific nonclinical tasks are exempt from being considered practicing medicine.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1770

Plain English: The amendment adds new types of medical specialties and clarifies that certain tasks related to clinical appropriateness do not create private rights of action.

  • Adds 'Clinical informatics', 'Lifestyle medicine', and 'Medical virtualist' as recognized medical specialties in Tennessee.
  • Clarifies that determining whether a treatment or procedure is clinically appropriate does not give patients the right to sue for damages.
  • Specifies that certain nonclinical tasks related to clinical appropriateness do not fall under this clarification.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how these new medical specialties will be regulated or licensed in Tennessee.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1753

Plain English: This amendment adds new medical specialties and clarifies certain practices under Tennessee's health care laws.

  • Adds 'Clinical informatics', 'Lifestyle medicine', and 'Medical virtualist' as recognized medical specialties in the state of Tennessee.
  • Clarifies that a person practicing medicine can determine whether a treatment or procedure is appropriate for a patient’s condition, without creating legal rights for patients to sue over these determinations.
  • The amendment text does not specify how these new medical specialties will be regulated or licensed in Tennessee.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 33, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA0721)

  6. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/30/2026

  7. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  8. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 84, Nays 1, PNV 4

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0721)

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/23/2026

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026

  14. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/17/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee

  17. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to Next Calendar

  19. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  20. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  21. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  23. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 2, PNV 2

  24. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0465)

  25. 2026-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/9/2026

  26. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  27. 2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 2/4/2026

  28. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  29. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee

  30. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  31. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  32. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  33. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  34. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law defines "practice of medicine" for purposes of regulation of medical professionals in this state. The term specifically includes attaching certain words or abbreviations to a name, either alone or in connection with other words or abbreviati
ons indicating or inducing others to believe that the person is engaged in the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine, such as "Doctor of medicine", "M.D.", "D.O.", and "allergist", among others.

This bill adds the following additional words to the current list in present law: "clinical informatics", "lifestyle medicine", or "medical virtualist".

ON FEBRUARY 9, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1753, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that a person is regarded as practicing medicine or osteopathic medicine, which is prohibited without a license as described in present law, if the person determines, or causes to be determined, whether a treatment or procedure is
appropriate for the symptoms and diagnosis of such condition. However, this does not create a private right of action.

ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1753 FOR HOUSE BILL 1770, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1753, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that the bill (i) does not apply to a nonclinical ministerial or administrative task related to a determination of clinical appropriateness or a decision made by a state employee acting in an official capacity during a contested ca
se, and (ii) does not prohibit a person from practicing dentistry, nursing, optometry, podiatry, psychology, or any other of the healing arts in accordance with the laws of this state.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1753
By Haile

HOUSE BILL 1770
By Martin B
HB1770
011661
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63,
Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9, relative to the
practice of medicine.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-6-204(m)(1), is amended by
adding the following as new subdivisions:
(SS) "Clinical informatics";
(TT) "Lifestyle medicine"; or
(UU) "Medical virtualist";
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming law, the public welfare requiring it.