PA legislators institute restrictions on narcotics, narcotic datbase + provider education

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

PA Governor signed several laws regarding narcotics to combat abuse... as home care RN fear they have gone overboard in restriction of narcotics which will negatively impact patient pain management as several of my patients unable to get PCP appointment until 30 days post ED visit.

1. Act 122 of 2016, limits Emergency Departments and urgent care centers providers to ordering only a 7-day supply of opioids

2. Act 123 of 2016, provides for the destruction of household prescription drugs and pharmaceutical waste.

3. Act 124 of 2016 provides for continuing education requirements in pain management, for prescribing opioids as well as addiction treatment. The bill requires physicians to check the state's newly created Prescription Drug Monitoring System each time a patient is dispensed an opioid drug product or a benzodiazepine documenting query in patients chart, and requires prescribers and dispensers to input the data in the database within 72 hours of the prescription being dispensed.

4. Act 125 of 2016 limits the issuance of opioids to minors and providing for further restrictions and requirements if opioids are prescribed to minors. Limit of 7 day prescription AND requires written parental consent, chart documentation of counseling regarding addiction; exception for cancer treatment, palliative care/hospice or chronic pain condition.

5. Act 126 of 2016 medical training facilities would be required to create and implement curriculum on safe opioid prescribing.

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What changes are you seeing within your facility regarding PA narcotic restrictions? How are these regs affecting patient care.