18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-21-30

Current through Register Vol. 41, No. 8, December 2, 2024

Section 18VAC85-21-30 - [Effective 1/2/2025] Evaluation of the acute pain or subacute pain patient

A. Nonpharmacologic and non-opioid treatment for pain shall be given consideration prior to treatment with opioids. If an opioid is considered necessary for the treatment of acute pain or subacute pain, the practitioner shall give a short-acting opioid in the lowest effective dose for the fewest possible days.

B. Prior to initiating treatment with a controlled substance containing an opioid for a complaint of acute pain or subacute pain, the prescriber shall perform a history and physical examination appropriate to the complaint, query the Prescription Monitoring Program as set forth in § 54.1-2522.1 of the Code of Virginia, and conduct an assessment of the patient's history and risk of substance misuse.

Derived From Virginia Register Volume 34, Issue 23, eff. 8/8/2018; Amended, Virginia Register Volume 41, Issue 7, eff. 1/2/2025.

Statutory Authority: §§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2928.2 of the Code of Virginia.