Prescribing Controlled Substances for Pain

PLEASE IGNORE THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR NOW.  I WILL REMOVE THIS WARNING AFTER OUR COUNSEL HAS CONSULTED DIRECTLY WITH THE FLORIDA BOARD OF MEDICINE.

If your housestaff would ever have the occasion to prescribe controlled substances for patients with pain, please carefully read the information below and make sure the housestaff comply with this. Failure to do so may result in the prescription not being filled at all.

From our UF COM Senior Counsel (Susan Collingwood): The Dept. of Health (DOH) has, as of January 1, 2012 has begun withholding payment for controlled substances prescribed to Medicaid recipients unless the prescribing provider is registered with DOH as treating chronic, non-malignant pain (even if the patient is not being treated for chronic non-malignant pain). In order to assure our ability to appropriately treat patients needing controlled medications, applicable housestaff must register as chronic pain medicine prescribers. Any resident or fellow who ever has occasion to prescribe controlled substances should log in to the website listed below and answer all questions. Completing this DOH registration will assist local pharmacies in facilitating the filling of these prescriptions for your patients.

Controlled Substance Provider Registration 

If you know your user ID and password, you are good to go. If you do not know your username / password, click on the link that says “get login help?” You will then be directed to a page where you select your profession (pick “registration for resident/HSE physician” unless you have an unrestricted Florida Medical License) and input your license number (TRN# if temporary license). It will then ask you for the last four of your social security number, birthdate, and mailing address zip code. The zip code you enter will probably be the zip code where you lived when you completed the initial training license paperwork, NOT your current mailing address). After providing that information, you will be able to choose an account ID and password. Once successfully logged in to the above web site, indicate that you do prescribe narcotic meds to non-cancer patients, and then you are done.
Alternatively, the website indicates that you can call or email for your user ID and password information.