(1) The osteopathic physician assistant shall consider referring the patient for additional evaluation and treatment as needed to achieve treatment objectives. Special attention should be given to those chronic pain patients who are under eighteen years of age or who are potential high-risk patients. The management of pain in patients with a history of substance abuse or with comorbid psychiatric disorders may require extra care, monitoring, documentation, and consultation with, or referral to, an expert in the management of such patients.

(2) The mandatory consultation threshold is one hundred twenty milligrams MED. Unless the consultation is exempted under WAC 246-854-320 or 246-854-325, an osteopathic physician assistant who prescribes a dosage amount that meets or exceeds the mandatory consultation threshold must comply with the pain management specialist consultation requirements described in WAC 246-854-330. The mandatory consultation must consist of at least one of the following:

(a) An office visit with the patient and the pain management specialist;

(b) A consultation between the pain management specialist and the osteopathic physician assistant;

(c) An audio-visual evaluation conducted by the pain management specialist remotely, where the patient is present with either the osteopathic physician assistant or with a licensed health care practitioner designated by the osteopathic physician assistant or the pain management specialist; or

(d) Other chronic pain evaluation services as approved by the board.

(3) The osteopathic physician assistant shall document in the patient record each consultation with the pain management specialist. If the pain management specialist provides a written record of the consultation to the osteopathic physician assistant, the osteopathic physician assistant shall maintain it as part of the patient record.

(4) The osteopathic physician assistant shall use great caution when prescribing opioids to children or adolescents with chronic pain; appropriate referral to a specialist is encouraged.