It’s been only three days since Nevada’s new opioid prescription law took effect, and doctors already are venting about its impact on their practices. Several doctors said the law makes unreasonable paperwork demands, while the proposed regulations don’t specify the types of conduct that could lead to penalties or even the loss of their medical licenses. Doctors also are worried that the threat of discipline will funnel patients from specialists to primary care physicians to pain management clinics. Others are worried the law and proposed regulations will drive away doctors who are considering moving to Nevada, a concern in a state that faces a severe doctor shortage. Under the law, doctors must limit initial prescriptions to two weeks and perform a patient risk assessment before writing a script. If prescriptions are extended, doctors must enter into a written patient agreement, in which the patient consents to random drug testing and provides a list of other drug use or states where they’ve received a controlled substance prescription.
