For Everyone
New Law Mandates Controlled Substance E-Prescribing
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a new law requiring providers to electronically prescribe controlled substances beginning Jan. 1, 2021.
Beginning Sept. 1, 2019, the law also requires providers to treat acute (not chronic) pain as follows:
- May not prescribe an opioid beyond a 10-day supply.
- May not refill an opioid for acute pain.
- Exceptions:
- Cancer care
- Hospice and end-of-life care
- Palliative care
- Opioids prescribed for treating substance addiction.
The federal Drug Enforcement Agency’s e-prescribing requirements call for two-factor authentication, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent prescribing. Controlled substance electronic prescribing:
- Increases safety and security in the prescribing process.
- Eliminates handwriting errors.
- Decreases phone calls.
- Allows providers to monitor and improve first-fill adherence, as patients are more likely to fill prescriptions that are sent electronically to their pharmacy.
