Maryland Department of Health Office of Controlled Substances Administration (OCSA) recently launched a web-based platform for applicants to easily renew their controlled dangerous substances (CDS) registration online. The CDS Registration Renewal digital platform can be accessed through the state's official website,
www.maryland.gov or directly by visiting
ww.egov.maryland.gov/mdh/cds.
Division of Drug Control (DDC) enforces the CDS Act and ensures the availability of drugs for legitimate medical and scientific purposes while working to prevent drug abuse. DDC issues CDS permits to practitioners, researchers and establishments that administer, prescribe, dispense, distribute, manufacture, conduct research and conduct chemical analysis of controlled dangerous substances.
Practitioners authorized to prescribe CDS in Maryland must be registered with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) prior to obtaining a new or renewal Maryland State CDS Registration. The Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program was created to support providers and their patients in the safe and effective use of prescription drugs and is part of Maryland's response to the opioid epidemic.
More than 39,000 registrants in 35 classifications are required to renew CDS registrations on a two or three-year cycle. During peak months, as many as 3,000 registrants will renew. The new CDS Registration Renewal platform is expected to reduce processing time in issuing CDS registrations from four business weeks to five days.
The CDS Registration Renewal platform includes functionality designed to create an efficient and user-friendly experience for applicants that include:
- Connects real-time to the four main professional licensing boards (Physicians, Nursing, Pharmacy and Dentistry) to verify applicants have an active professional license with no disciplinary actions/orders - 95% of the applicants are part of one of these boards
- Connects real-time to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database to verify the applicants are registered
- Applicants are prompted to upload required documentation
- Portal automatically displays appropriate renewal term and fee based on applicant record
- Process fee-exempt registrations
With the new CDS Registration platform, applicants have the added convenience of making renewal payments with a major credit or debit card 24 hours per day 7 days per week at no additional cost.
This service was developed, is maintained and supported at no cost to the OCSA through a statewide self-funded digital eGovernment master services contract with the Department of Information Technology (DoIT).