September 16, 2019
By: Stacy Walton Long and
The Indiana Scheduled Prescription Collection and Tracking (“INSPECT”) program is an online tool that maintains a clearinghouse of patient information for health care professionals. The INSPECT database limits access to certain individuals and entities including the following: health care professionals who are licensed to prescribe or dispense controlled substances in the United States; law enforcement professionals for investigation purposes; the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, licensing boards; and prescriber delegates.[1]
INSPECT currently allows each prescriber to have up to 10 prescriber delegates. Similarly, each prescriber delegate may only delegate for a maximum of 10 prescribers. In order to be a prescriber delegate, an individual must first create an account and apply to be a prescriber delegate. A prescriber delegate does not have to be a licensed health care professional. Through the registration process, the applicant may select either “Prescriber Delegate-Unlicensed” or “Prescriber Delegate-Licensed.”
Only prescriber delegates “approved and supervised by a registered prescriber to make patient requests on behalf of said supervisor” may be granted INSPECT access.[2] Once approved as a prescriber delegate, the delegate may check INSPECT program requirements on behalf of the practitioner.[3] Certain practitioners are required to check INSPECT before prescribing an opioid or a benzodiazephine to a patient. Specifically, these prescribing requirements apply to[4]:
- A practitioner who provides services to a patient in an emergency department of a hospital or a pain management clinic;
- Effective January 1, 2020, a practitioner who provides services to a patient in a hospital; and
- Effective January 1, 2021, all practitioners prescribing an opioid or a benzodiazephine to a patient.
Practitioners and prescriber delegates should regularly review the INSPECT statutory requirements, found within the Indiana Code.
In addition to information on prescriber delegates, health care professionals and organizations may be interested in a free service that the State of Indiana provides for integration of INSPECT data into a health care provider’s electronic medical records (EMR) system. To register your health care facility for the INSPECT Integration Initiative, please click here.
For more information regarding INSPECT regulations and reporting requirements, please visit the INSPECT website by clicking here. If you or your health care organization have questions regarding prescriber delegates or any other questions about INSPECT, please contact Stacy Walton Long, Alexandria M. Foster, or any other Krieg DeVault attorney in the Health Care Practice Group.
[1] See INSPECT/FAQs at https://www.in.gov/pla/inspect/2371.htm.
[2] Id.
[3] IC 35-38-7-11.1(o).
[4] See http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/8/7/9/a/879a0ea2/SB0221.04.ENRH.pdf.
September 16, 2019
By: Stacy Walton Long and
The Indiana Scheduled Prescription Collection and Tracking (“INSPECT”) program is an online tool that maintains a clearinghouse of patient information for health care professionals. The INSPECT database limits access to certain individuals and entities including the following: health care professionals who are licensed to prescribe or dispense controlled substances in the United States; law enforcement professionals for investigation purposes; the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, licensing boards; and prescriber delegates.[1]
INSPECT currently allows each prescriber to have up to 10 prescriber delegates. Similarly, each prescriber delegate may only delegate for a maximum of 10 prescribers. In order to be a prescriber delegate, an individual must first create an account and apply to be a prescriber delegate. A prescriber delegate does not have to be a licensed health care professional. Through the registration process, the applicant may select either “Prescriber Delegate-Unlicensed” or “Prescriber Delegate-Licensed.”
Only prescriber delegates “approved and supervised by a registered prescriber to make patient requests on behalf of said supervisor” may be granted INSPECT access.[2] Once approved as a prescriber delegate, the delegate may check INSPECT program requirements on behalf of the practitioner.[3] Certain practitioners are required to check INSPECT before prescribing an opioid or a benzodiazephine to a patient. Specifically, these prescribing requirements apply to[4]:
- A practitioner who provides services to a patient in an emergency department of a hospital or a pain management clinic;
- Effective January 1, 2020, a practitioner who provides services to a patient in a hospital; and
- Effective January 1, 2021, all practitioners prescribing an opioid or a benzodiazephine to a patient.
Practitioners and prescriber delegates should regularly review the INSPECT statutory requirements, found within the Indiana Code.
In addition to information on prescriber delegates, health care professionals and organizations may be interested in a free service that the State of Indiana provides for integration of INSPECT data into a health care provider’s electronic medical records (EMR) system. To register your health care facility for the INSPECT Integration Initiative, please click here.
For more information regarding INSPECT regulations and reporting requirements, please visit the INSPECT website by clicking here. If you or your health care organization have questions regarding prescriber delegates or any other questions about INSPECT, please contact Stacy Walton Long, Alexandria M. Foster, or any other Krieg DeVault attorney in the Health Care Practice Group.
[1] See INSPECT/FAQs at https://www.in.gov/pla/inspect/2371.htm.
[2] Id.
[3] IC 35-38-7-11.1(o).
[4] See http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/8/7/9/a/879a0ea2/SB0221.04.ENRH.pdf.