Breaking News – State Surgeon General Issues Order 20-007 May 9th

florida breaking healthcare news on controlled substancesBy: 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.Continue reading

Telehealth/Telemedicine extends until May 8, 2020 in Florida

Telehealth Telemedicine extension

Telehealth Telemedicine extensionBy: Susan St. John

Breaking News: The State Surgeon General issued Emergency Order 20-004 at approximately 6:01 p.m. on April 15, 2020. Emergency Order 20-004 extends all the provisions of Emergency Order 20-002 until May 8, 2020, unless further extended. Thus, certain practitioners licensed in other states may provide telehealth services to persons in Florida without having to register with the Department of Health. Also, Emergency Order 20-003, issued March 21, 2020, named additional clinical practitioners licensed in other states that may provide telehealth services to persons in Florida. The following professionals that hold an active, valid, and unencumbered license in another state, that are not under investigation or current discipline, and have not had their license revoked in any jurisdiction, may provide telehealth services in Florida:Continue reading