POLICY STATEMENT
Issuing Entity: Medical Quality Assurance Commission.
Subject: The Medical Quality Assurance Commission has adopted a position that the standard of medical practice in the state of Washington requires a physician, when prescribing medication, to (1) verify that the person requesting the medication is in fact who he or she claims to be; (2) establish a diagnosis through the use of accepted medical practices such as a patient interview, physical examination, and appropriate ancillary testing; (3) discuss with the patient the diagnosis and the evidence for it, as well as the risks and benefits of various treatment options; (4) ensure availability of the physician to review the course and efficacy of the treatment to assess therapeutic outcome; and (5) maintain a contemporaneous medical record that is readily available to the patient and to other health care professionals. The commission recognizes exceptions in certain circumstances such as emergency, public health, or cross-coverage situations. A physician who prescribes medication based solely on electronic communication via the Internet does not meet the standard of medical practice above. The commission considers this practice unprofessional conduct pursuant to RCW 18.130.180(4), and subjects the physician to disciplinary action.
Effective Date: October 6, 2000.
Contact Person: Beverly A. Teeter, Health Services Consultant, Department of Health, Medical Quality Assurance Commission, 1300 S.E. Quince Street, P.O. Box 47866, Olympia, WA 98504-7866, (360) 236-4788.