The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) requirement to establish a "bona fide prescriber-patient relationship" prior to prescribing any controlled substances, which was part of the recently enacted opioid and prescribing legislative package, will be delayed pending the Governor's signature. As passed by the Legislature, House Bill 5678, sponsored by Rep. Bronna Kahle (R-Adrian), extends the effective date to March 31, 2019 or upon the promulgation of rules if prior to March 31, 2019. This requirement was originally slated to take effect at the end of this month.

Delaying the effective date gives the Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA) and a coalition of stakeholders the opportunity to work with LARA through the rules promulgation process to address several concerns with the definition of "bona fide prescriber-patient relationship." The current definition severely restricts the ability to provide quality care to established patients in emergent situations, when another prescriber is providing care when the primary prescriber is unavailable, when another licensed member of the health care team has been delegated to provide care, and during transitions of care such as from a hospital to a nursing home or hospice.

The MOA met with leadership within LARA in making sure this requirement did not take effect without appropriately addressing these unintended consequences. MOA appreciates Rep. Kahle for agreeing to use her bill as the vehicle to accomplish this and Sen. Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake), Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee, for shepherding the final compromise through to its resolution.

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Join us for the   119th Annual Spring Scientific Convention   as the MOA will offer educational opportunities with compelling sessions and information on issues affecting your practice and profession.

 

 

The fellowship is a rigorous and comprehensive program that delivers tools and knowledge in four strategic areas: principles of effective governance, improving

	Graduates of the fellowship, which has existed for more than a decade, have high praise for the fellowship, as demonstrated by this graduate's testimonial.

quality and patient safety, building collaborative medical staff partnerships, an d building strong relationships with the community and stakeholders. Each of the five sessions, held from July 2018 through June 2019, is led by experts in governance with a healthcare background.

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2018 - 2019  Excellence in Governance Fellowship . Space is limited for this class.

To further explore this one-of-a-kind offering, contact  Erin Steward at the MHA.

Link: AMOA Facebook group page

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