This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on February 3, 2012.
What constitutes a bonafide doctor-patient relationship when prescribing medical marijuana to patients? The Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery has adopted the following statement to clarify the standard of care applicable to the evaluation of an individual for the purpose of certification to use marihuana for any medical condition:
Generally accepted components of a full medical evaluation to determine suitabitity and appropriateness for recommending treatment of any kind, including certification for medical marihuana, include:
- a hands-on physician patient encounter
- full assessment and recording of patient’s medical history
- relevant physical examination
- review of prior records of relevant examinations, treatments and treatment response including substance abuse history
- receipt and review of relevant diagnostic test results
- discussion of advantages, disadvantages, alternatives, potential adverse effects and expected response to treatment
- development of plan of care with state goals of therapy monitoring of the response to treatment and possible adverse effects
- creation and maintenance of patient records documenting the information above
- communication with patient’s primary care physician when applicable
The Boards expect that these medical encounters would be completed at permanent locations that enable the patient to retum for follow-up, consultation or assistance as needed.
A physician failing to meet generally accepted standards of practice when certifying a patient to use marihuana for a medical condition may be found to be practicing below the acceptable standard of care and therefore may be subject to disciplinary action.