Thursday, December 14, 2017

Medical Board calls meeting yesterday to pass opioid regs tomorrow

The Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure announced yesterday that it will meet Friday at 1:00 PM.  The only topic on the agenda are the proposed "Opioid Amendments."  The same amendments that drew heavy opposition from Mississippi doctors. 

The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure wants to make it tougher for doctors to prescribe opioids.  The Board proposed the new regulations in response to recommendations made by Governor Phil Bryant's task force on opioid abuse that were released in August.* Earlier post. The rules will limit surgery patients to opioid prescriptions for only two weeks.  Weight loss and pain management clinics face new rules.  More paperwork is recommended for the doctors.  

Section 2640 of the Board's administrative code governs the prescription, dispensing, and administration of medication.  The Board proposed submitted amendments to the Secretary of State that would overhaul Section 2640  on September 21 in response to the opioid "crisis." The proposed amendments received a great deal of attention from doctors as it will make some major changes in how they practice medicine if adopted.   A hearing was held on November 15 at the Board's  offices.  Over 150 people attended the 5 hour-long hearing.  The next regular board meeting is not scheduled to take place until January. Some major proposed changes are:

*Doctors can only write opioid prescriptions for seven days and a refill for another seven days for non-cancerous or non-terminal pain.  The new restrictions apply to post-surgery pain.
*Every doctor, regardless of specialty, must use the PMP upon "initial contact with new patients" and every 90 days afterwards for patients who receive controlled substances.
*Patients must be drug-tested each time a schedule II medication is prescribed.  
*Pain management practices must be at least 50% owned by a Mississippi-licensed physicians AND the physician must practice in Mississippi at least 20 hours per week.
*A physical exam AND a doctor-patient relationship must be established for ALL prescriptions, not just controlled substances.  This will substantially affect telemedicine companies (1.11).

Read this earlier post for more information of the proposed Opioid amendments. 

Stay tuned. 


Anonymous said...

This is going to be a disaster. Get ready to see overdoses skyrocket in MS as these dumb regulations push people to the black market.

Anonymous said...

Something has to be done. The doctors cannot be depended on to do anything?
People complain about the opioid problem but don't want their use to be limited, just everyone else should be limited. They do not have a problem. That is until they or a family member dies from an overdose. Then everyone else to blame for it.

Anonymous said...

More GOP controlled government forgetting that smaller government is a party plank.

Anonymous said...

If something must be done, you handle your own problems. Put your "loved one" into rehab by civil commitment. Do not expect this knee jerk, illegal reaction to handle a personal situation. Why punish those with chronic, often debilitating pain for your lack of motivation to handle your problems. We can't depend on a group of people who don't know these patients from "Adam's house cat" to govern what is best for society as a whole.

A sedated Joey Ramone said...

If this goes through, we'll be hearing about drug store robberies on the evening news that outnumber the dollar stores robberies. Strange how the root of all evil legislation stems from the Insurance industry.

Madison Rulz said...

The first comment is dead on. It will backfire. Addicts will O.D. on heroine and knock-off pills. Many patients with a legitimate need will suffer. 7 days is not enough for many common major surgeries like joint replacements. Some surgeries like shoulder surgery can be exceptionally painful for a long time. It's not just a matter of people needing to be tough. Severe pain can be deadly.

Why not focus on patient education? Do they educate patients post-op that these are addictive and you need to cut your dosage as soon as possible? No, they don't.

This is a very complicated issue. The demand was created when opioids made there way to the street. Once the street demand is there, criminals will find a way to bring product to the street. The horses are out of the barn. Closing the barn door isn't going to fix this.

Madison Rulz said...

I'm not sure 1:02 is right. I think it will create more of a pipe line of black market pills with who knows what in them coming in from overseas.

Madison Doctor said...

All of these people on here making comments like they practice medicine. They don't know what it is like to actually see patients. Randy is doing good work for the Board.

Anonymous said...

So, a medical relationship must be established. How does that work with the hospitalists system that is place in many hospitals? The hospitalists that my mother just had to see during a hospital visit didn't know her from "Adam's house cat" & treated her as such. The hospitalists no more has a relationship w/ the patient than a teledoc does. She actually saw two during her admit. Over the course of a week, they probably spent 30-45 min w/ her. They didn't even get her diagnosis correct in her discharge papers. I don't think a teledoc could be much worse. They probably at least listen to what the patient says their symptoms are.

Anonymous said...

More heroin on the streets. It's coming.

Anonymous said...

"Randy" couldn't win a legislative seat. He would do anything to boust his ego. IMHO he is not fit to be dog catcher!

Anonymous said...

Forget opioid addiction and the high number of herion addictions headed our way for a minute. These regulations are going to destroy mental healthcare in this state, and have a negative impact on the volume of surgical procedures performed. Many doctors will retire. Why deal with this b.s. on top of all of the other meaningful use requirements, etc.they are straddled with? Why have surgery here when you don't have to deal with such draconian policies an hour away? Craziness. Absolute madness.

Anonymous said...

The Legislature needs to reel this board in quick. They have lied and lied to the Legislature
over and over. Do away with the Board or transfer their duties to the Board of Health. Easterling needs to stay away from the Capitol!
Phil , Tate and Philip all pulled for Easterling and he got his ass whipped!

Anonymous said...

Why not just face the truth. A certain % of the people are going to be drug addicts even if they have to snort sand. They will smoke, swallow, snort, or shoot up with anything and everything they can find.
They will become addicted to anything. We can't hide everything from them.

Anonymous said...

Just this past week I watched an 85 year old with a brain tumor have his skull sawed open and given Tylenol afterwards. Dopers gonna dope while the innocent will be made to suffer. Opiods are the most effective painkillers and cough suppressants on earth and the result of these regulations will be needless suffering by those who need them most and more sadistic government goon thugs threatening doctors and patients.

Anonymous said...

@Madison Doctor, you're the prime example of the even larger problem we face in MS. Having M.D. behind your name doesn't make you an all knowing god. Others are quite capable of thinking on the same if not higher level than you do in your profession. You are human just like everyone else. You are capable of mistakes and misjudgment just like everyone else. We have informed consent because ultimately, the final decision should be left to the patient, not the doctor. Unless we're talking about the non existent progress in regards to vaccines rights. Because of physicians with your mindset receiving gross amounts of financial incentive, it seems we'll never have the right to protect our children against your excessive and potentially fatal vaccination schedule. But I don't have "M.D" behind my name. So what do I know, right?

Anonymous said...

This needs to be stopped. This will have no effect on the abusers. They will continue to abuse regardless, however patients that need access will be denied.

Anonymous said...

this will be bad. this will not fix the problem!!!!!! they have not even stated what the problem, or who the problem is. they just lump all doctors together and they and John Dowdy are out to get the doctors. anyone see 60 minutes this past Sunday. interesting piece on McKesson. they make 100 million per WEEK in PROFIT. they distribute narcotics to pharmacy and other medical supplies. they were caught violating record keeping rules regarding the shipments of narcotics. lawyers at DOJ would not prosecute after DEA agents did investigation. McKesson must make nice campaign contributions.

Suscribe to latest on JJ.

Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel


Trollfest '09









This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07




This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS