Confusion regarding - Massachusetts Psychiatric Society

www.psychiatry-mps.org
MPS Bulletin
- November/December 2016
10
immediately, FT January 2017. Contact
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THE DEADLINE FOR THE
THEJANUARY
DEADLINE 2017
FOR THE
MPS2014
NEWSLETTER
IS
JANUARY
MPS NEWSLETTER
IS
DECEMBER
15,
2016.
FOR
DECEMBER 15, 2013.
ADDITIONAL
ADVERTISING
FOR ADDITIONAL
ADVERTISING
INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE
THE MPS OFFICE AT (781) 237-8100
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OR(781) 237-8100
OR
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Hea
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Massachusetts Psychiatric Society ♦ 40 Washington Street, Suite 201Massachusetts
♦ Wellesley, MA
02481-1802
Psychiatric
Society
781-237-8100 ♦ Fax: 781-237-7625 ♦ Email: [email protected][email protected]
781-237-8100
Fax: 781-464-4896
Brookline:
Attractive, comfortable, quiet, reasonably priced
3 suite office near Coolidge Corner has opening
PSYCHIATRIST
for a full time or two 1/2 time clinicians as of
January 2014. Street parking and near T. Call
Jim HarburgerPSYCHIATRIST
MD, 617-232-3822 or
ATTENDING
email [email protected]
Tewksbury Hospital is a Joint Commission accredited Public Health
HospitalPSYCHIATRISTS
located about 23 miles north
of Boston, MA near the intersection
of Interstates 495 and 93.
Tewksbury Hospital is looking for a full time
Two
Lifepsychiatrist.
Style Choices
inpatient
The position is on a DMH
intermediate
care unit working
a wide
1.
Salary: $237,650
base forwith
board
cer-variety of patients
with severe
tified
psychiatrist
with and
1-2 persistent
overnightmental
illness.
No per
managed
care orRecent
after-hours
on-call.
call
shifts
month.
salary
Median LOS
about 200
days. Competitive
increases,
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bonus, ex- compensation.
Work
with angenerous
excellent and
personacellent
fringe
benefits,
allowble group
of psychiatrists.
ance
for license
and board certification
fees, CME fees and 6 weeks leave time
For full
information
for
or part contact:
time psychiatrists. You
Anthony
MD intermediate care
will workVagnucci,
on a DMH
Chiefwhere
of Psychiatry,
Tewksbury
Hospital
unit
you can
treat people
with
978-851-7321
x2863 mental illness with
chronic
persistent
[email protected]
both
therapy as well as medication due
to the median 200 days LOS. Work with
an
excellent
and personable
group of Full
STAFF
PSYCHIATRIST
POSTIONS.
psychiatrists.
and part-time positions are available for ADULT
PSYCHIATRISTS
in same
our outpatient
clinics in
2.
Salary: $213,000
as above with
Framingham,
Marlboro and
satellites. Advocates
no
overnight/weekend
on call.
Inc is a full-service, non-profit system serving
Contact
Anthony
Vagnucci,and
MD,
Chief
individuals
with psychiatric
developmental
of
Psychiatry,
Tewksbury
disabilities
and other
challengesHospital,
in a strength978-851-7321
x2863, anthony.vagnucbased, person-centered
and multi-disciplinary
[email protected]
setting. Excellent physicians are honored, and we
offer a warm, friendly practice environment.
Cambridge
Psychiatric
Services
Compensation
is competitive
and benefits are
PSYCHIATRISTS:
in flexible
available for 20 hoursInterested
+.
hours, competitive pay rates, and a schedule
that fits
your needs?Chris Gordon, MD, MediContact
in confidence
Qualified
psychiatrists
needed to procal
Director
at
508.628.6652
or
at
vide
overnight, weekend, and holiday
[email protected].
moonlighting coverage at area hospitals,
clinics,
and Psychiatric
other psychiatric
Cambridge
Services facilities.
For
more information please call JesPSYCHIATRISTS:
sica D’Angio at (617)864-7452 or at
Interested in flexible hours, competitive pay
[email protected]
rates, and a schedule that fits your needs?
Tewksbury
Hospital
Qualified psychiatrists needed to provide overHalf-time
Psychiatrist
(20 hours per
night, weekend, and holiday moonlighting coverweek)
age at area hospitals, clinics, and other psychiatExcellent
salary and fringe benefits,
ric facilities.
signing
bonus and generous leave time
for
psychiatrists.
Positions
For half-time
more information
please call
available
on a DMH
intermediate care
Jessica D’Angio
at 617-864-7452
unit
with a wide variety of
or at working
[email protected]
patients with severe and persistent
mental
illness are
available.
Adult psychiatrist
for part
or full time.No
Private
managed
care oforMD’s
after &hours
Group Practice
PhD’s.on-call.
CBT excluMedian
LOS about
days.diagnostics
Work and
sively. Services
needed200
include
with
an
excellent
and
personable
group
med management.
of
psychiatrists.
Contact
Anthony
Contact:
Peter W. Moran,
Ph.D.
Cornerstone
Vagnucci,
MD,
Chief
of
Psychiatry,
Behavioral Health, 469 Chandler St., Worcester,
Tewksbury
Hospital, 978-851-7321
MA 01602 or [email protected]
x2863, [email protected]
PO Box 549154 Waltham, MA 02454-9154
Email: [email protected] www.psychiatry-mps.org
www.psychiatry-mps.org
9
7
Confusion regarding
“New Requirements to Utilize the new Online PMP - Effective October 15, 2016”
Bruce Black, MD
“MassPAT” is the new Massachusetts Prescription Awareness For most psychiatrists (excluding psychiatrists in substance abuse
Tool that replaced the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) treatment settings), we will only be required to check MassPAT
the first time we prescribe a benzodiazepine. Those who prescribe
in August (1).
Schedule II or III narcotics, including buprenorphine and methaOn Oct 11, most Massachusetts psychiatrists received an email done, will be required to check MassPAT each time you prescribe
from DPH regarding “New Requirements to Utilize the new On- a narcotic drug.
line PMP - Effective October 15, 2016” (2). That email stated that
Although you will not be required to check MassPAT each time
beginning October 15:
you refill a benzodiazepine prescription, or at all when prescrib• A registered individual practitioner must utilize MassPAT ing stimulant medications, MassPAT can be a very useful tool
each time the practitioner issues a prescription to a pa- whenever you have any reason to suspect that a patient may be
misusing, abusing, or diverting any controlled substance, or may
tient for any Schedules II and III narcotic drug.
• Prescribers must continue to check MassPAT the first time be obtaining prescriptions from more than one provider without
they prescribe to a patient a benzodiazepine or any con- making you aware of this. I have found it helpful to routinely
trolled substance in Scheduled IV or V which the Department check MassPAT each time I am prescribing a stimulant medication
has designated in guidance as a drug that is commonly abused for the first time.
and may lead to dependence. At this time, there are no drugs
References
that have received this designation.
The embedded link in the October 11 email for “Schedules II and 1. http://www.massmed.org/Physicians/Practice-Management/
III” goes to a DEA web page that lists “Dexedrine, Adderall, and
Practice-Ownership-and-Operations/Massachusetts-PreRitalin” among other Schedule II drugs (3). This seems to have
scription-Awareness-Tool-(MassPAT)/#.WATYOvkrJhE
led many physicians to conclude that we are required to utilize
MassPAT each time we issue a prescription for a stimulant medi- 2. http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/
cation. This is not the case.
hcq/drug-control/pmp/reporting-and-use.html. This sight
also includes links to information regarding registering for
The source of confusion seems to be in the interpretation of “any
and using MassPAT.
Schedules II and III narcotic drug.” Some have interpreted this
phrase to imply that “Schedules II and III drug” is synonymous 3. https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml
with “narcotic drug”. Although, most physicians tend to think of
“narcotics” as applying only to opiate-like drugs, not everyone 4. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007489.htm
uses the term the same way (4). In common usage, the term
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcotic
is sometimes used to refer to all soporifics, including drugs like
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narcotic
Ambien or benzodiazepines or even ketamine. In legal usage the
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/narcotic (Includes televi- term is used to refer to all drugs of abuse, including drugs like
sion in the definition of narcotic.)
marijuana, LSD, PCP, and cocaine.
5. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules
Fortunately, the DEA does classify drugs (5) into one of five
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/orangebook/c_
schedules, and separately classify drugs as narcotic or not narcs_alpha.pdf
cotic. Drugs classified as narcotic may fall under any of the five
controlled substance schedules. Although stimulant medications 6. https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2016/Chap are all classified as schedule II drugs, they are NOT designated as
ter52
narcotic drugs. Therefore, they do NOT fall under the mandate
to utilize MassPAT each time we prescribe any Schedule II or III
narcotic drug.
Just to be certain of this interpretation, I emailed MassPAT and
asked, “Are individual practitioners required to utilize MassPAT
when prescribing a stimulant medication (such as methylphenidate, dexedrine, Adderall, amphetamine, dextroamphetamine,
lisdexamfetamine)?” They responded as follows, “Stimulants are
NOT required to be checked on MassPAT prior to prescribing.”
There has also been some confusion regarding whether prescribers must utilize MassPAT when prescribing gabapentin. Although
the state legislature has passed legislation directing DPH to designate gabapentin as an additional drug that will require prescribers
to utilize MassPAT before prescribing for the first time, DPH has
not yet issued regulation on this. Therefore, prescribers are NOT
required to utilize MassPAT before prescribing gabapentin. (2 &
6)
Happy Holidays!!
The MPS Staff and Council would like
to wish all of you and yours a very safe,
happy and joyous holiday season!
Massachusetts Psychiatric Society PO Box 549154 Waltham, MA 02454-9154
781-237-8100 Fax: 781-464-4896 Email: [email protected] www.psychiatry-mps.org