Regulatory Updates

CSMD Enhancements Effective September 25, 2013

The following enhancements to Tennessee’s Controlled Substance Monitoring Database (CSMD) are taking effect today, September 25, 2013. If you you have any questions about the enhancements, please contact the CSMD Administrator at CSMD.admin@tn.gov.

The CSMD Administrator indicates that they are working to implement other suggestions for enhancement in the CSMD user experience, in the next few weeks and again possibly in January of 2014, and they plan to ask for ideas on the effectiveness of the CSMD. If you wish to suggest an improvement, please email CSMD.admin@tn.gov.

CSMD Enhancements Taking Effect September 25, 2013

• Automated user name retrieval. This provides a secure and efficient method of username retrieval for users who have forgotten their username.
• A single certification for each logged session. No more requirements to check the “I certify” box with each individual patient request.
• Patient requests by healthcare extenders must now include supervising practitioner authorizing the patient lookup. This enhances the supervisor’s ability to audit their extender’s use of the CSMD from the “View Request” page by checking the “include extenders” box.
• Specialized accounts for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Existing nurse practitioner and physician assistant accounts will be prompted to enter supervising physician information on their “My Account” page.
• Supervisor (MD, DO) can now view associated physician assistant or nurse practitioner prescribing histories to assist with their oversight responsibilities.
• Changes to the “My Account” page:
  • Organization. User must populate practice site organization name.
  • Support for users with multiple practice locations. A CSMD user may now record multiple practice locations and DEA numbers (as appropriate) for each of their practice locations.
  • Prescribers who also dispense controlled substances must check a box to record that they also dispense when completing their “My Account” page.
• Notification preferences are user selectable. These notifications are for a CSMD user’s patients with elevated risk profiles. The notification preferences are user only, user and extender, or extender only. These notifications will begin appearing on the CSMD user’s homepage in late October.
• Morphine equivalence calculator on patient report. This calculator will convert opioid prescriptions which are “active” (based on fill date and day supply) into morphine milligram equivalents. This standardization of opioid dose aids in determining opioid exposure and clinical decision-making. Please note that this automated calculation does not account for older prescriptions, which the patient may still have access to refill, or dosage units still in the patient’s possession from older prescriptions. A manual calculation may be necessary if you believe that the patient still has access to older prescriptions, which are not accounted for. It may also not account for any newly introduced opioid drugs or formulations. Again, a manual calculation may be necessary in these special cases.