SECTION 435:10-7-12. Establishing a physician/patient relationship; exceptions

  A physician/patient relationship is established when a physician agrees by direct or indirect contact with a patient to diagnose or treat any condition, illness or disability presented by a patient to that physician, whether or not such a presenting complaint is considered a disease by the general medical community. The physician/patient relationship shall include a medically appropriate, timely-scheduled, face-to-face encounter with the patient, subject to any supervisory responsibilities established elsewhere in these rules except the following providers are not subject to the face-to-face encounter:

(1)   Providers covering the practice of another provider may approve refills of previously ordered medications if they have access to the medical file of the patient.

(2)   Hospice medical directors may initiate prescriptions based on requests from licensed health care providers and on information from Hospice records.

(3)   Providers ordering appropriate medications for persons with laboratory-proven, sexually transmitted diseases and persons who have been in contact with certain infectious diseases.

(4)   Telemedicine physicians who meet the criteria set out in OAC 435:10-7-13 of this Subchapter.

(5)   Licensed healthcare providers providing medical immunizations, which may be implemented by means of standing order(s) and/or policies.

(6)   Licensed providers ordering opioid antagonists pursuant to 63 O.S. §1-2506.2.

[Source: Added at 31 Ok Reg 419, eff 12-3-13 (emergency); Added at 31 Ok Reg 582, eff 3-18-14 (emergency); Added at 31 Ok Reg 1978, eff 9-12-14; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 2064, eff 9-11-15]