Section 246-840-483. Episodic care.

(1) When evaluating patients for episodic care, such as emergency or urgent care, the advanced registered nurse practitioner should review any available prescription monitoring program, emergency department-based information exchange, or other tracking system.

(2) Episodic care practitioners should avoid providing opioids for chronic pain management. However, if opioids are provided, the episodic care practitioner should limit the use of opioids for a chronic noncancer pain patient to the minimum amount necessary to control the pain until the patient can receive care from a primary care practitioner.

(3) Prescriptions for opioids written by an episodic care practitioner shall include indications for use or the International Classification of Disease (ICD) code and shall be written to require photo identification of the person picking up the prescription in order to fill.

(4) If a patient has signed a written agreement for treatment and has provided a written authorization to release the agreement under WAC 246-840-475(6) to episodic care practitioners, then the episodic care practitioner should report known violations of the agreement back to the patient's treatment practitioner who provided the agreement for treatment.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.79.400. WSR 11-10-064, § 246-840-483, filed 5/2/11, effective 7/1/11.]

RCW 18.79.400. WSR 11-10-064, § 246-840-483, filed 5/2/11, effective 7/1/11.

Rules

246-840-475,