Considerations for Prescribing when using Telemedicine when Prescribing Controlled Substances
To guarantee safe and moral healthcare, practitioners, including APRNs, must prioritize patient identity verification when prescribing restricted telemedicine medications. It is crucial to follow all local, state, and federal laws pertaining to telemedicine, particularly security procedures and technical requirements. To encourage patient awareness and consent, it is essential to clearly and concisely communicate treatment plans, possible dangers, and alternatives (Lacktman, 2023). Telehealth encounters must be adequately documented, like regular in-person consultations for legal and regulatory purposes. In addition, healthcare providers should consider how telemedicine might affect patient confidentiality and privacy and put protections in place to secure sensitive medical data. It is crucial to balance ethical and legal concerns and technology improvements when using telemedicine to prescribe controlled medications conscientiously (Lacktman, 2023)
Do you need more than one DEA number? If so, when do you need another number?
Healthcare professionals, like Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), may need more than one Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number under specific circumstances. An APRN who works in many states is one example of a significant situation because every state has different regulations for the prescription of controlled substances and requires a different DEA number to be compliant (DEA, 2023). Moreover, obtaining several DEA numbers can be needed if an APRN works in different practice contexts requiring separate DEA registrations, such as a hospital and a private clinic. Additional DEA numbers are necessary depending on the diversity of practice contexts to ensure compliance with institutional and governmental standards. Obtaining numerous DEA numbers makes it easier to prescribe controlled substances legally and seamlessly in different contexts and jurisdictions. Given their line of work, APRNs should evaluate their practice conditions and speak with the DEA to decide whether getting more DEA numbers is necessary (DEA, 2023
References
California Board of Registered Nursing. (2023). Board of Registered Nursing Nurse Practitioner Schedule II Controlled Substance And Risk Of Addiction Mandatory education requirement for the continuing education course to include the risk of addiction with the use of Schedule II controlled substances. https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/regulations/npr-b-59.pdf
DEA. (2023). Registration Q&A. Deadiversion.usdoj.gov. https://deadiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/registration_faq.htm
Lacktman, N. (2023, February 27). DEA’s Proposed Rules on Telemedicine Controlled Substances Prescribing after the PHE Ends | Foley & Lardner LLP. Www.foley.com. https://www.foley.com/en/insights/publications/2023/02/deas-telemedicine-controlled-substances-phe-ends