By: Susan St. John
In my last post, I promised to keep you updated as to any new orders from the State Surgeon General that would further extend a practitioner’s ability to prescribe refills of non-malignant pain controlled substances using telehealth communications, or a qualified physician’s ability to recertify an existing qualified patient’s use of medical marijuana. The Surgeon General has extended the ability to continue assisting patients with these specific needs (as well as other needs) until May 31, 2020, through the issuance of Emergency Order 20-007 on May 9, 2020.
Keep in mind, that to prescribe a refill of a controlled substance for chronic non-malignant pain, the practitioner must be an MD, DO, APRN, or PA licensed in Florida and designated as a controlled substance prescribing practitioner. Further, to prescribe such controlled substances using telehealth communications during this public health emergency, the patient must be an existing patient of the prescribing practitioner.
Similarly, for a qualified physician to recertify a qualified patient’s use of medical marijuana using telehealth, the patient must be an existing patient of the qualified physician who certified the use of medical marijuana for the patient.
We are here to assist practitioners as they navigate through this “new normal” brought about by the public health emergency due to COVID-19. We can help you determine what services may be provided, how to schedule patients to ensure social distancing, how to navigate the Paycheck Protection Plan, telehealth services, Stark Law waivers, fraud and abuse issues, and OSHA requirements brought about by COVID-19.