Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2019 4:03 PM
In October, a new law the Substance -Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act was enacted which allowed hospices to dispose of controlled substances.
The law allows for hospice physicians, physician assistants and nurses to dispose of controlled substances if they are employed by a qualified hospice. A qualified hospice program is defined in the SUPPORT Act as one having written policies and procedures for assisting in the disposal of the controlled substances of a person receiving hospice care after the person’s death, and at the time when the controlled substances are first ordered:
- provides a copy of the written policies and procedures to the patient or patient representative and family
- discusses the policies and procedures with the patient or representative and the family in a language and manner that they understand to ensure that these parties are educated regarding the safe disposal of controlled substances; and
- documents in the patient’s clinical record that the written policies and procedures were provided and discussed; and
- at the time following the disposal of the controlled substances
- documents in the patient’s clinical record the type of controlled substance, dosage, route of administration, and quantity so disposed; and
- the time, date, and manner in which that disposal occurred.
Source: NAHC Report
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