PRESS RELEASE: Governor Sandoval Endorses Emergency Regulations Related to Reporting of Overdoses

Governor Sandoval Endorses Emergency Regulations Related to Reporting of Overdoses

CARSON CITY, NV – Governor Brian Sandoval recently signed a Statement of Emergency endorsing the need for emergency regulations related to the reporting of overdoses and suspected overdoses as required in Assembly Bill 474 (AB474), the Controlled Substance Abuse Prevention Act. 

The bill was passed unanimously by the Legislature during the 2017 session and went into effect January 1, 2018. AB474 requires the Board of Health to adopt regulations that require healthcare providers to report instances of overdose and suspected overdose. The emergency regulations provide the immediate structure of reporting of overdose and suspected overdose to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Chief Medical Officer. These emergency regulations will help ensure that providers understand and are fully aware of how to comply with the reporting requirement provisions in AB474. The regulations provide a definition of overdose and patient discharge and the regulations require reporting within 7 days of patient discharge. The report must contain the name and contact information of the provider, information about the patient, the medical record number, the state of the suspected overdose, and the classification code related to the overdose. The Board of Health will continue the process of developing permanent regulations.

The new prescribing protocols in AB474, including mandatory risk assessment and informed written consent for an opioid prescription, only apply to Schedule II-IV drugs prescribed for the treatment of pain. Drugs in Schedule V, such as non-narcotic, non-opioid and anti-seizure medications, are not subject to these new prescribing protocols.

“The prescribing protocols in AB474 went through months of vetting with subject matter experts, State occupational licensing boards, several physician groups, patients, and individual providers. Because so many stakeholders were part of this collaborative process, the bill passed unanimously through both houses of the Legislature,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “Prescribers in Nevada need to be educated on what the prescribing protocols do, and more importantly what they do not do, and how to incorporate them in to their practices. These protocols preserve clinical decision making, prioritize patient safety and strengthen the relationship between the patient and the provider. Our state associations, and licensing boards will continue to work to support bringing providers into compliance with the law and work in an open and transparent manner throughout the regulatory process.”

“There is no delay in implementation and my office and the Department of Health and Human Services will continue to support our occupational licensing boards and association in their efforts to educate and train their constituencies on Assembly Bill 474,” concluded Governor Sandoval.

The Division of Public and Behavioral Health has provided a form for healthcare providers to use when submitting a report to the Chief Medical Officer. All reports should be faxed to 775-684-5999. To set up electronic reporting, contact Julia Peek at jpeek@health.nv.gov. Dentist and hospice providers are not required report.

The Controlled Substances Abuse Prevention Act expands and updates state laws related to the reporting of drug overdoses, provides prescribing protocols for healthcare providers that are prescribing controlled substances for the treatment of pain, and enacts the Prescribe 365 initiative. This bill established an initiative called “Prescribe 365,” which holds that no patient should receive more than 365 days worth of medication in any consecutive 365 day period and also establishes a system for identifying and addressing inappropriate prescribing through the state’s occupational licensing boards. The legislation does not tell prescribers when or how they can prescribe, instead AB474 establishes a standard of care for prescribers. To learn more about this law or review informed consent templates, a compliance checklist, download Prescribe 365 office documents, please visit: http://prescribe365.nv.gov/

A copy of the emergency regulations can be found here

Mari N. St. Martin
Communications Director
Office of Governor Brian Sandoval
101 North Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
775-684-5670
775-684-5683 (fax)
gov.nv.gov
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