The Department of Justice (DOJ) has certified California’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). Therefore, effective October 2, 2018, it will become mandatory for all healthcare practitioners who prescribe to consult and review the CURES 2.0 system prior to prescribing, ordering, administering, or furnishing a Schedule II-IV controlled substance. A healthcare practitioner who fails to consult the CURES database must be referred to their state professional licensing board for administrative sanctions, as deemed appropriate by that board.
The law requires a healthcare practitioner to check when prescribing a Schedule II-IV medication for the first time and at least once every four months thereafter if the medication remains part of the patient’s treatment plan. Prescribers will also be required to obtain and use tamper-resistant prescription forms ordered only from state-approved security printers.
The Medical Board of California provides further information on everything you need to know to prepare for October, including exemptions and what to do in the case of technical difficulty. Please visit these online resources:
http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensees/Prescribing/CURES/CURES_Mandatory_Flyer.pdf
CURES 2.0 User Registration:
https://cures.doj.ca.gov/registration/confirmEmailPnDRegistration.xhtml
Kimberly Danebrock is Director of Risk Management for CAPAssurance and Director of Risk Assessment Peer Review, MPT. Questions or comments related to this article should be directed to kdanebrock@CAPphysicians.com.