18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-21-40

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

Section 18VAC85-21-40 - [Effective 1/2/2025] Treatment of acute pain and subacute pain with opioids

A. Initiation of opioid treatment for patients with acute pain and subacute pain shall be with short-acting opioids.

1. A prescriber providing treatment for acute or subacute pain shall not prescribe a controlled substance containing an opioid in a quantity that exceeds a 14-day supply, unless extenuating circumstances are clearly documented in the medical record.

2. An opioid prescribed as part of treatment for a surgical procedure shall be for no more than 14 consecutive days and within the immediate perioperative period, unless extenuating circumstances are clearly documented in the medical record.

B. Initiation of opioid treatment for all patients shall include the following:

1. The practitioner shall carefully consider and document in the medical record the reasons to exceed 50 MME/day.

2. Prior to exceeding 120 MME/day, the practitioner shall document in the medical record the reasonable justification for such doses or refer to or consult with a pain management specialist.

3. An FDA-approved opioid reversal agent shall be prescribed for any patient when risk factors of prior overdose, substance misuse, doses in excess of 120 MME/day, or concomitant benzodiazepine are present.

C. Due to a higher risk of fatal overdose when opioids are prescribed with benzodiazepines, sedative hypnotics, carisoprodol, and tramadol (an atypical opioid), the prescriber shall only co-prescribe these substances when there are extenuating circumstances and shall document in the medical record a tapering plan to achieve the lowest possible effective doses if these medications are prescribed.

18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-21-40

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.