18VAC85-21-30. Evaluation of the acute pain patient.
A. Nonpharmacologic and non-opioid treatment for pain shall be given consideration prior to treatment with opioids. If an opioid is considered necessary for the treatment of acute pain, the practitioner shall give a short-acting opioid in the lowest effective dose for the fewest possible days.
B. Prior to initiating treatment with a controlled substance containing an opioid for a complaint of acute pain, the prescriber shall perform a history and physical examination appropriate to the complaint, query the Prescription Monitoring Program as set forth in § 54.1-2522.1 of the Code of Virginia, and conduct an assessment of the patient's history and risk of substance misuse.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2928.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 34, Issue 23, eff. August 8, 2018.