Is an exam required before a patient can be treated in Kentucky?

Short answer
The cited rules do not settle this — none states a general pre-treatment exam; telehealth requires informed consent first, and prescribing by electronic communication requires identity verification, a documented diagnosis, and a current medical record.

Kentucky writes the online-prescribing rule as three named steps, and missing any of them is dishonorable conduct. Separately, a treating physician who provides or facilitates telehealth must ensure the patient's informed consent is obtained before services are provided through telehealth, and that confidentiality of the patient's medical information is maintained; the board is directed to promulgate regulations as necessary to prevent abuse and fraud through telehealth services and to prevent fee-splitting through them. Prescribing or dispensing medication in response to any communication transmitted or received by computer or other electronic means is dishonorable, unethical or unprofessional conduct where the licensee fails to take three actions to establish and maintain a proper physician-patient relationship: VERIFICATION that the person requesting medication is in fact who the patient claims to be; establishment of a documented diagnosis through the use of accepted medical practices; and maintenance of a current medical record. The same section reaches prescribing with the intent or knowledge that a medication will be used other than medicinally or for an accepted therapeutic purpose, and prescribing in amounts the licensee knows or has reason to know are excessive under accepted and prevailing medical practice standards.