Beginning on October 24, 2019, every licensed health care practitioner in Pennsylvania (excluding veterinarians) will be required to electronically prescribe controlled substances (regardless of the dosage) by sending the prescription directly to a pharmacy via the Internet. Faxes will not qualify as an electronic transmission under the Law.
The primary goals of Act 96 of 2018, passed by the … Continue Reading
Pennsylvania’s Patient Test Result Information Act, which is set to take effect December 23, 2018, requires diagnostic imaging services providers that identify a “significant abnormality” in their test results to directly notify the patient or his/her designee within 20 days of the completed test, its review and its delivery to the ordering health care practitioner. The new law defines the … Continue Reading
On Fox’s In the Weeds blog, associate Richard Holzworth discussed the influx of patients registering for the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program, and provided an overview of key policy and procedure updates that PA’s healthcare facilities, including hospitals and long-term care providers, should adopt:
Despite Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana industry being in its infancy, more than 17,000 patients have registered for the … Continue Reading
Earlier this month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a Memorandum rescinding the Obama Administration’s “hands off” policy with respect to the prosecution of licensed cannabis distribution in states where medical or recreational marijuana are legalized. Our sister blog, “In the Weeds” has covered the issuance of this new Memorandum extensively, including how it may affect state medical marijuana … Continue Reading
As previously reported on our Physician Law Blog (see our post here), the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued draft “temporary” regulations regarding physician registration and certification of medical marijuana on April 11, 2017. Following a brief comment period, the Department finalized its “temporary” regulations in the June 3, 2017 issue of the PA Bulletin. A copy of the final … Continue Reading
As first posted on our sister blog, “In The Weeds” (Fox Rothschild’s Cannabis Law Blog), the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued its long-awaited proposed temporary regulations regarding physicians on April 11, 2017. A copy of the temporary regulations can be found here: PA Temporary Physician Medical Marijuana Regulations
The temporary regulations provide additional detail on the physician registration … Continue Reading
As of February 4, 2016, out-of-state athletic team physicians are permitted to provide care to their own team’s players while in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Senate Bill 685 and 686 amend the Medical Practice Act of 1985 and Osteopathic Medical Practice Act of 1978, to provide a limited exemption to physicians to practice without licensure in Pennsylvania. In order to qualify for … Continue Reading
Previously on the Fox Rothschild Physician Law Blog, we reported on the July 2015 amendments to the PA Child Protective Services Law. See our August 31, 2015 post here: What You Need to Know about PA’s Child Protective Services Law. In particular, we noted that the PA Medical Society interpreted the amendments to the Law as requiring all health … Continue Reading
As a follow up to our most recent post on What You Need to Know About PA’s Child Protective Services Law, you should know that the Pennsylvania Superior Court (PA’s primary appellate court) recently held that a physician may be sued for malpractice for failing to report suspected child abuse, even though there is not an express right to sue … Continue Reading
As of December 1, 2015, the PA Medical Society has retracted its opinion that physicians, health care practitioners and practice staff must obtain child abuse clearances under the PA Child Protective Services Law. The PA Department of Human Services has also informally agreed that such practitioners and staff are not required to obtain clearances. Please see our updated post on … Continue Reading