Tennessee Code 53-11-308 will go into effect Friday, July 1, 2022 requiring all providers offer Naloxone to patients when certain conditions are met. That criteria is listed below:
- The provider prescribes more than a three-day supply of an opioid medication; and
- The provider prescribes an opioid medication concurrently with a prescription by the same provider for benzodiazepine; or
- The patient presents with an increased risk for overdose, including a history of overdose, a history of substance use disorder, or being at risk for returning to a high dose of opioid medication to which the patient is no longer tolerant.
- This does not apply to an opioid prescription that is written as part of a patient’s palliative care treatment.
Beginning June 29, 2022, the Best Practice Advisory on Naloxone prescribing was updated and will fire when:
- The opioid MEDD is ≥ 50mg; or
- Patient is prescribed (or have an active order on the med list for) an opioid AND a benzodiazepine; or
- Patient is prescribed an opioid AND have substance use disorder or a history of overdose.
The AVS will now include a Naloxone handout for at risk patients being prescribed opioids or naloxone which will explain the importance of having Naloxone on hand. This handout can be found at the following link: https://edocs.app.vumc.org/EDocsView.aspx?EDocsId=8188
