PDFWAC 246-922-700

Acute perioperative pain.

The podiatric physician shall comply with the requirements in this section when prescribing opioid analgesics for perioperative pain and shall document completion of these requirements in the patient record:
(1) The podiatric physician, or his or her authorized designee, shall conduct queries of the PMP in accordance with the provisions of WAC 246-922-790 and document their review and any concerns in the patient record.
(2) If the podiatric physician prescribes opioids for effective pain control, such prescription must not be in a greater quantity than needed for the expected duration of pain severe enough to require opioids. A three-day supply or less will often be sufficient; more than a fourteen-day supply will rarely be needed. The podiatric physician shall not prescribe beyond a fourteen-day supply from the time of discharge without clinical documentation in the patient record to justify the need for such a quantity. For more specific best practices, the podiatric physician may refer to clinical practice guidelines including, but not limited to, those produced by the agency medical directors' group, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the Bree Collaborative.
(3) The podiatric physician shall reevaluate the patient who does not follow the expected course of recovery. If documented improvement in function or pain control has not occurred, the podiatric physician shall reconsider the continued use of opioids or whether tapering or discontinuing opioids is clinically indicated.
(4) Follow-up visits for pain control should include objectives or metrics to be used to determine treatment success if opioids are to be continued. This may include:
(a) Change in pain level;
(b) Change in physical function;
(c) Change in psychosocial function; and
(d) Additional planned diagnostic evaluations or other treatments.
(5) If the podiatric physician elects to prescribe a combination of opioids with a Schedule II-V medication listed in WAC 246-922-775 or prescribes opioids to a patient known to be receiving a medication listed in WAC 246-922-775 from another practitioner, such prescribing must be in accordance with WAC 246-922-775.
(6) If the podiatric physician elects to treat a patient with opioids beyond the six-week time period of acute perioperative pain, the podiatric physician shall document in the patient record that the patient is transitioning from acute pain to subacute pain. Rules governing the treatment of subacute pain in WAC 246-922-705 and 246-922-710 shall apply unless there is documented improvement in function or pain control and there is a documented plan and timing for discontinuation of all opioid medications.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.22.015 and 18.22.800. WSR 20-15-033, § 246-922-700, filed 7/7/20, effective 8/7/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.22.005, 18.22.015, 18.22.800, and 2017 c 297. WSR 18-20-085, § 246-922-700, filed 10/1/18, effective 11/1/18.]