A Family Member HomeCare, a Broward Private Care Home Health Agency, Applauds U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, In Seeking to End Pain Medication Delays in Nursing Homes
September 15, 2011
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, has introduced legislation to address the unintended consequences of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) heightened scrutiny of pain medication prescribing practices in nursing homes across America. As a result of the DEA policy, vulnerable patients are sometimes left to languish in pain as nursing home nurses and physicians strive to adhere to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
“The law should prevent suffering, not make it worse,” Kohl said. “Unfortunately, DEA’s crackdown has left elderly nursing home residents waiting for hours or even days for relief from excruciating pain. This legislation would help end these needless and avoidable delays.”
Under Kohl’s Nursing Home Resident Pain Relief Act of 2011, a physician may authorize the administrator of the long-term care facility to designate nurses and other appropriately licensed health professionals to act as facility designees. On the physician’s oral instruction, the facility designees may order and administer pain-relieving controlled substances to residents whose medical conditions warrant immediate pain relief. The bill also requires written records documenting each step in the process, and provides strong criminal and civil penalties for diverting drugs or violating the recordkeeping requirements.
Last year, Kohl held an Aging Committee hearing calling attention to the unintended consequences of DEA’s heightened scrutiny of prescribing practices in long-term care settings. Kohl has been working closely with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and stakeholders to find a solution that satisfies the law enforcement goals of the DEA and meets the needs of ailing nursing home patients.
Historically, nurses were able to call urgently needed prescriptions into pharmacies upon a physician's order over the phone. Pharmacies would fill the order; residents would get their pain medication; and, physicians would follow up with written confirmation of the prescription. However to comply with the CSA, DEA now requires physicians to directly issue prescriptions in writing for all pain medications before they can be dispensed, even in emergency circumstances.
Last year, DEA issued a policy statement to provide a way for nursing home residents to access some kinds of medication more quickly. Under the new policy, a nursing home’s licensed health care professionals may, on a physician’s behalf, transcribe the physician’s oral prescription for Schedule III, IV or V medications to a pharmacy to be filled. Kohl’s legislation would amend the CSA, to provide the agency with the statutory authority needed to allow licensed health care professionals to transmit prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances, the category under which nearly all pain medications fall.
To view this release on Senate.gov, go to: http://aging.senate.gov/hearing_detail.cfm?id=334069&
For more information about a Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County home health care agency for seniors and other family members, contact Brian Gauthier at A Family Member HomeCare (954) 986-5090 or www.afamilymemberhomecare.com. Serving Coconut Creek Cooper City Coral Springs Dania Beach Davie Deerfield Beach Fort Lauderdale Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach Hollywood Lauderdale Lakes Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Lauderhill Lazy Lake Lighthouse Point Margate Miramar North Lauderdale Oakland Park Parkland Pembroke Park Pembroke Pines Plantation Pompano Beach Sea Ranch Lakes Southwest Ranches Sunrise Tamarac Weston Wilton Manors Aventura Sunny Isles Beach Hialeah Miami Lakes Boca Raton Delray Beach Home health care agencies home health care agency home health care services in home health care senior home health care home health care providers health care agency home health care jobs at home health care home health care agencies in florida home health care florida medicare home health care health care agencies home health care elderly home health agency home health care service home care agencies home health care companies home health care agency florida private home health care home health agencies elderly home health care home care agency what is home health care home health care agencies in broward county home health services home health care cost accessible home health care florida home health care home health aide agencies in home health care services home health care business home health aide home health care nursing home health care provider home health care employment in home health care jobs home health aide jobs home health aides home health care medicare in home health care agencies home health care seniors. We work with all South Florida hospitals and rehabilitation clinics to ensure safe transitions to in-home health care and provide attendants, caregivers, certified nursing assistants (CNA), companions, HHAs, homemakers. Providing homecare in Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach County Member of Society of Certified Senior Advisors, National Association for HomeCare and Hospice; Home Care Association of Florida; American College of HealthCare Executives, Volunteer Broward, Hospice by the Sea, Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale, Joseph Meyerhoff Senior Center, HomeHealthCompare, home health advance beneficiary notice, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, has introduced legislation to address the unintended consequences of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) heightened scrutiny of pain medication prescribing practices in nursing homes across America. As a result of the DEA policy, vulnerable patients are sometimes left to languish in pain as nursing home nurses and physicians strive to adhere to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
“The law should prevent suffering, not make it worse,” Kohl said. “Unfortunately, DEA’s crackdown has left elderly nursing home residents waiting for hours or even days for relief from excruciating pain. This legislation would help end these needless and avoidable delays.”
Under Kohl’s Nursing Home Resident Pain Relief Act of 2011, a physician may authorize the administrator of the long-term care facility to designate nurses and other appropriately licensed health professionals to act as facility designees. On the physician’s oral instruction, the facility designees may order and administer pain-relieving controlled substances to residents whose medical conditions warrant immediate pain relief. The bill also requires written records documenting each step in the process, and provides strong criminal and civil penalties for diverting drugs or violating the recordkeeping requirements.
Last year, Kohl held an Aging Committee hearing calling attention to the unintended consequences of DEA’s heightened scrutiny of prescribing practices in long-term care settings. Kohl has been working closely with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and stakeholders to find a solution that satisfies the law enforcement goals of the DEA and meets the needs of ailing nursing home patients.
Historically, nurses were able to call urgently needed prescriptions into pharmacies upon a physician's order over the phone. Pharmacies would fill the order; residents would get their pain medication; and, physicians would follow up with written confirmation of the prescription. However to comply with the CSA, DEA now requires physicians to directly issue prescriptions in writing for all pain medications before they can be dispensed, even in emergency circumstances.
Last year, DEA issued a policy statement to provide a way for nursing home residents to access some kinds of medication more quickly. Under the new policy, a nursing home’s licensed health care professionals may, on a physician’s behalf, transcribe the physician’s oral prescription for Schedule III, IV or V medications to a pharmacy to be filled. Kohl’s legislation would amend the CSA, to provide the agency with the statutory authority needed to allow licensed health care professionals to transmit prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances, the category under which nearly all pain medications fall.
To view this release on Senate.gov, go to: http://aging.senate.gov/hearing_detail.cfm?id=334069&
For more information about a Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County home health care agency for seniors and other family members, contact Brian Gauthier at A Family Member HomeCare (954) 986-5090 or www.afamilymemberhomecare.com. Serving Coconut Creek Cooper City Coral Springs Dania Beach Davie Deerfield Beach Fort Lauderdale Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach Hollywood Lauderdale Lakes Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Lauderhill Lazy Lake Lighthouse Point Margate Miramar North Lauderdale Oakland Park Parkland Pembroke Park Pembroke Pines Plantation Pompano Beach Sea Ranch Lakes Southwest Ranches Sunrise Tamarac Weston Wilton Manors Aventura Sunny Isles Beach Hialeah Miami Lakes Boca Raton Delray Beach Home health care agencies home health care agency home health care services in home health care senior home health care home health care providers health care agency home health care jobs at home health care home health care agencies in florida home health care florida medicare home health care health care agencies home health care elderly home health agency home health care service home care agencies home health care companies home health care agency florida private home health care home health agencies elderly home health care home care agency what is home health care home health care agencies in broward county home health services home health care cost accessible home health care florida home health care home health aide agencies in home health care services home health care business home health aide home health care nursing home health care provider home health care employment in home health care jobs home health aide jobs home health aides home health care medicare in home health care agencies home health care seniors. We work with all South Florida hospitals and rehabilitation clinics to ensure safe transitions to in-home health care and provide attendants, caregivers, certified nursing assistants (CNA), companions, HHAs, homemakers. Providing homecare in Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach County Member of Society of Certified Senior Advisors, National Association for HomeCare and Hospice; Home Care Association of Florida; American College of HealthCare Executives, Volunteer Broward, Hospice by the Sea, Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale, Joseph Meyerhoff Senior Center, HomeHealthCompare, home health advance beneficiary notice, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
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