We have learned that from our readings and discussions that the Midwest has been hit especially hard by the crisis. Because of this, I wanted to know what Michigan was doing as far as legislation to combat the rampant opioid abuse. I found a couple of websites that mentioned a "Bona fide relationship" bill. The bill requires that a licensed provider may not prescribe a controlled substance listed in schedules 2 to 5 unless the prescriber is in a bona fide prescriber-patient relationship with the patient being prescribed the controlled substance.
A bonafide relationship was originally defined as follows:
"The bill defines a bona fide prescriber-patient relationship as a treatment or counseling relationship between a prescriber and a patient in which both of the following are present:
· The prescriber has reviewed the patient's relevant medical or clinical records and completed a full assessment of the patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a relevant medical evaluation of the patient conducted in person or via telehealth.
· The prescriber has created and maintained records of the patient's condition in accordance with medically accepted standards."
(The full summary of the bill can be found here: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billanalysis/House/htm/2017-HLA-0270-32A56060.htm)
The bill was initially slated to go into effect on March 31st of this year, but has since been tentatively postponed until March 31, 2019. The date was postponed due to concerns raised by the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS), over the definition of a "bonafide relationship". One major concern that they have with the bill in its original state, is that it severely restricts the ability to provide quality care to established patients in emergent situations, when another prescriber is providing care when the primary prescriber is unavailable.
What do you guys think about this bill? Do you think that it will help reduce the number of people abusing opioids? Is it easily enforceable? Should other states adopt similar legislation?
The bill was initially slated to go into effect on March 31st of this year, but has since been tentatively postponed until March 31, 2019. The date was postponed due to concerns raised by the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS), over the definition of a "bonafide relationship". One major concern that they have with the bill in its original state, is that it severely restricts the ability to provide quality care to established patients in emergent situations, when another prescriber is providing care when the primary prescriber is unavailable.
What do you guys think about this bill? Do you think that it will help reduce the number of people abusing opioids? Is it easily enforceable? Should other states adopt similar legislation?
I didn’t know that this was a thing and I am also curious how they would define the “bonafide relationship” in this case. I can see some positives from it like trying to gather information about the patient before they prescribe medication and stuff. I just think it will be hard. Any thing of this magnitude isn’t going to be stopped with one bill passed.
ReplyDeleteI am curious to see if the bill will be reshaped due to it being postponed.
DeleteI would assume that psychiatrists get this “Bona Fide relationship” more than a general clinician who would be prescribing opiate painkillers. I would still like to see which doctors get this privilege, and how successful this program has been in the state of Michigan
ReplyDeleteI see how the increased information might be useful with regard to patients. However, I do not really see how this would help to reduce opioid use as patients could still get the drug legally and illegally.
ReplyDeleteYeah I was thinking the same thing. It sounds like the bill is just creating legal jargon for what doctors are already supposed to do (e.g. reviewing and maintaining records, prescribing pain relief)
DeleteAlthough the bill has the right intentions, I don't think enough is being done here. Unless someone is checking millions of patient records to confirm whether a patient needed opioid prescription, which is highly unlikely, something else has to change.
ReplyDelete