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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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4731 State Medical Board |
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Chapter4731-11. Controlled Substances |
4731-11-09. Prescribing to persons not seen by the physician
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(A) Except as provided in paragraph (D) of this rule, a physician shall not prescribe, personally furnish, otherwise provide, or cause to be provided, any controlled substance to a person on whom the physician has never conducted a physical examination.
(B) Except as provided in paragraph (C) of this rule, a physician shall not prescribe, personally furnish, otherwise provide, or cause to be provided, any prescription drug that is not a controlled substance to a person on whom the physician has never conducted a physical examination.
(C) A physician may prescribe, personally furnish, otherwise provide, or cause to be provided a prescription drug that is not a controlled substance to a person on whom the physician has never conducted a physical examination and who is at a location remote from the physician by complying with all of the following requirements:
(1) The physician shall establish the patient's identity and physical location;
(2) The physician shall obtain the patient's informed consent for treatment through a remote examination;
(3) The physician shall request the patient's consent and, if granted, forward the medical record to the patient's primary care provider or other health care provider, if applicable, or refer the patient to an appropriate health care provider or health care facility;
(4) The physician shall, through interaction with the patient, complete a medical evaluation that is appropriate for the patient and the condition with which the patient presents and that meets the minimal standards of care, which may include portions of the evaluation having been conducted by other Ohio licensed healthcare providers acting within the scope of their professional license;
(5) The physician shall establish or confirm, as applicable, a diagnosis and treatment plan, which includes documenation of the necessity for the utilization of a prescription drug. The diagnosis and treatment plan shall include the identification of any underlying conditions or contraindications to the recommended treatment;
(6) The physician shall document in the patient's medical record the patient's consent to treatment through a remote evaluation, pertinent history, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment plan, underlying conditions, any contraindications, and any referrals to appropriate health care providers, including primary care providers or health care facilities;
(7) The physician shall provide appropriate follow-up care or recommend follow-up care with the patient's primary care provider, other appropriate health care provider, or health care facility in accordance with the minimal standards of care;
(8) The physician shall make the medical record of the visit available to the patient;
(9) The physician shall use appropriate technology that is sufficient for the physician to conduct all steps in this paragraph as if the medical evaluation occurred in an in-person visit.
(D) A physician may prescribe, personally furnish, otherwise provide, or cause to be provided a prescription drug that is a controlled substance to a person on whom the physician has not conducted a physical examination and who is at a location remote from the physician in any of the following situations:
(1) The person is an active patient, as that term is defined in paragraph (D) of rule 4731-11-01 of the Administrative Code, of an Ohio licensed physician or other health care provider who is a colleague of the physician and the drugs are provided pursuant to an on call or cross coverage arrangement between them and the physician complies with all steps of paragraph (C) of this rule;
(2) The patient is physically located in a hospital or clinic registered with the United States drug enforcement administration to personally furnish or provide controlled substances, when the patient is being treated by an Ohio licensed physician or other healthcare provider acting in the usual course of their practice and within the scope of their professional license and who is registered with the United States drug enforcement administration to prescribe or otherwise provide controlled substances in Ohio.
(3) The patient is being treated by, and in the physical presence of, an Ohio licensed physician or healthcare provider acting in the usual course of their practice and within the scope of their professional license, and who is registered with the United States drug enforcement administration to prescribe or otherwise provide controlled substances in Ohio.
(4) The physician has obtained from the administrator of the United States drug enforcement administration a special registration to prescribe or otherwise provide controlled substances in Ohio.
(5) The physician is the medical director, hospice physician, or attending physician for a hospice program licensed pursuant to Chapter 3712. of the Revised Code and both of the following conditions are met:
(a) The controlled substance is being provided to a patient who is enrolled in that hospice program, and
(b) The prescription is transmitted to the pharmacy by a means that is compliant with Ohio board of pharmacy rules.
(6) The physician is the medical director of, or attending physician at, an institutional facility, as that term is defined in rule 4729-17-01 of the Administrative Code, and both of the following conditions are met:
(a) The controlled substance is being provided to a person who has been admitted as an inpatient to or is a resident of an institutional facilty, and
(b) The prescription is transmitted to the pharmacy by a means that is compliant with Ohio board of pharmacy rules.
(E) Nothing in this rule shall be construed to imply that one in-person physician examination demonstrates that a prescription has been issued for a legitimate medical purpose within the course of professional practice.
(F) A violation of any provision of this rule, as determined by the board, shall constitute any or all of the following:
(1) "Failure to maintain minimal standards applicable to the selection or administration of drugs," as that clause is used in division (B)(2) of section 4731.22 of the Revised Code;
(2) "Selling, prescribing, giving away, or administering drugs for other than legal and legitimate therapeutic purposes," as that clause is used in division (B)(3) of section 4731.22 of the Revised Code; or
(3) "A departure from or the failure to conform to minimal standards of care of similar practitioners under the same or similar circumstances, whether or not actual injury to a patient is established," as that clause is used in division (B)(6) of section 4731.22 of the Revised Code.
(G) For purposes of this rule, "informed consent" means a process of communication between a patient and physician discussing the risks and benefits of, and alternatives to, treatment through a remote evaluation that results in the patient's agreement or signed authorization to be treated through an evaluation conducted through appropriate technology when the physician is in a location remote from the patient.
(H) This rule shall not apply to any prescribing situations specifically authorized by the Revised Code or Administrative Code.
(I) For purposes of this rule, "patient" means a person for whom the physician provides healthcare services or the person's representative.