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The Maine Mandate—Confronting Controlled Substances Head-On

Posted: June 14th, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, Controlled Substances, Dental, In the News, Public Policy | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »
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The annual Maine Dental Association (MDA) Convention commenced in Rockport, ME on Friday, June 10th and it’s safe to say the event was a tremendous success. The DoseSpot team was fortunate to not only attend, but also announce the keynote speaker, Dr. Harold L. Crossley, whom is well known for his expertise regarding street drugs and the chemical dependency associated with such drugs. In his two-part session, “Street Drugs Exposed”, Dr. Crossley provided intriguing insight to the controlled substance epidemic that the United States is currently facing. He explained that chemical dependency is a primary, chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. Dr. Crossley also further defined the term “chemical dependency” as a primary illness or disease that is characterized by addiction to a mood-altering chemical. It is progressive and chronic, and if left untreated, it can be fatal.

Headlines regarding overdoses seem to appear on a daily basis and one thing is certain—these drugs do not discriminate. The American Society of Addiction Medicine states that four out of five new heroin users are first addicted to prescription opioids because when the pill supply runs out, heroin is typically the next option. To be fair, the origins of this epidemic aren’t necessarily because of a prescriber’s bad behavior. The majority are well-intentioned prescribers that are simply trying to do their job the best way they know how. This disease and the increasing rate of fatalities, however, are devastating local communities across the country and have caused some states to take aggressive action.

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In an effort to better monitor the prescribing of such drugs, Maine has become the second state behind New York to mandate electronic prescribing for controlled substances and the third state to set a limit on the duration and daily strength of opioid prescriptions. Prescribers will also be required to partake in addiction training every two years. This may ignite some eye-rolls and perhaps a tinge of anxiety, but let’s look at the bigger picture. Dentists are often criticized for “irresponsibly” prescribing controlled substances and “taking advantage” of perceived financial incentives to over-treat pain. On the other hand, the majority of dentists believe they have been victims of prescription fraud or theft. The good news is, e-Prescribing can alleviate many pain points that dentists and society are collectively experiencing.

Here at DoseSpot, we understand that making any type of change can be difficult, but e-Prescribing doesn’t need to be one of them. Contact us today to learn how seamless the e-Prescribing transition can be with DoseSpot on your side.

Sources: Portland Press Herald; Boston Globe

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot, partnered with Lexicomp, is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.