Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING
Chapter 246-853 - Osteopathic physicians and surgeons
OPIOID PRESCRIBING-SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Section 246-853-770 - Episodic care of chronic opioid patients

(1) When providing episodic care for a patient who the osteopathic physician knows is being treated with opioids for chronic pain, such as for emergency or urgent care, the osteopathic physician shall review the PMP to identify any Schedule II-V or drugs of concern received by the patient and document in the patient record their review and any concerns.

(2) An osteopathic physician providing episodic care to a patient who the osteopathic physician knows is being treated with opioids for chronic pain should provide additional opioids to be equal to the severity of the acute pain. If opioids are provided, the osteopathic physician shall limit the use of opioids to the minimum amount necessary to control the acute nonoperative pain, acute perioperative pain, or similar acute exacerbation of pain until the patient can receive care from the practitioner who is managing the patient's chronic pain treatment.

(3) The osteopathic physician providing episodic care shall report known violations of the patient's written agreement to the patient's treatment practitioner who provided the agreement for treatment, when reasonable.

(4) The osteopathic physician providing episodic care shall coordinate care with the patient's chronic pain treatment practitioner if that person is known to the osteopathic physician providing episodic care, when reasonable.

(5) For the purposes of this section, "episodic care" means medical care provided by a practitioner other than the designated primary practitioner in the acute care setting; for example, urgent care or emergency department.